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Federal Judge Unlikely to Halt Landmark Antitrust Trial Over Concert Ticketing

By  |  February 25, 2026
Federal Judge Unlikely to Halt Landmark Antitrust Trial Over Concert Ticketing

A federal judge in New York signaled that a closely watched antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation Entertainment Inc., the parent company of Ticketmaster, is on track to begin trial next week, according to Bloomberg.

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    During a hearing on Wednesday, US District Judge Arun Subramanian indicated that he is inclined to reject Live Nation’s request to postpone the proceedings. The company had sought a delay in order to appeal the judge’s recent decision allowing the case to move forward. Per Bloomberg, Subramanian said he expects to formally deny the delay request and will issue a written ruling in the coming days.

    The lawsuit, brought by federal antitrust enforcers, accuses Live Nation of unlawfully maintaining monopoly power in the live events industry. While the judge previously dismissed certain allegations tied to the company’s role in concert promotion, he determined that other claims warrant consideration by a jury. Specifically, Subramanian concluded that jurors should evaluate whether Live Nation’s ticketing agreements with concert venues violated federal antitrust laws, according to Bloomberg.

    Related: Live Nation Seeks to Delay Antitrust Trial to Pursue Appeal

    The trial is scheduled to begin Monday in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York in Manhattan. The case, US v. Live Nation Entertainment, 24-cv-03973, centers on whether the entertainment giant’s business practices in ticketing and venue contracts unlawfully restricted competition in the live events marketplace.

    The outcome of the case could have significant implications for the structure of the live entertainment industry, where Live Nation and its Ticketmaster subsidiary play a dominant role, per Bloomberg.

    Source: Bloomberg.