Live Nation and Ticketmaster illegally monopolized big concert venues, jury rules

Mary Cunningham Thu, April 16, 2026 at 11:27 PM GMT+5:30 3 min read

Can fans get refunds after Ticketmaster ruling? 02:22

A New York jury ruled on Wednesday that Live Nation and its Ticketmaster unit operated as an illegal monopoly, handing dozens of states an important legal win against the ticketing giant.

The states in the civil case accused Live Nation of stifling competition, limiting consumer choice and driving up ticket prices for concert-goers.

Live Nation reached a deal with the Department of Justice in March to pay $280 million to states that sued the company over its practices. However, a coalition of more than 30 states rejected the federal settlement and vowed to move forward with litigation, with New York Attorney General Letitia James describing the suit as an effort to "restore fair competition to the live entertainment industry."

As part of the March agreement with the Justice Department, Ticketmaster was required to sell at least 13 of its amphitheaters and enable third parties to use its technology platform to sell tickets. Now, a judge could eventually reject the settlement in light of the ruling on the states' complaint, according to Roger Alford, a professor at the Notre Dame Law School.

Ticketmaster has long clashed with artists, including Pearl Jam, which filed an antimonopoly complaint against the business in the 1990s. Ticketmaster also famously ignited a backlash in 2022 for its handling of ticket sales for Taylor Swift's "Eras" tour.

Live Nation Entertainment owns or has an equity interest in hundreds of venues around the U.S., which it also operates and for which it controls bookings.

Live Nation has denied that it is a monopoly and claims artists, sports teams and venues are the ones who set ticket prices. In a statement Wednesday, the ticketing company said: "The jury's verdict is not the last word on this matter. Pending motions will determine whether the liability and damages rulings stand."

"Of course, Live Nation can and will appeal any unfavorable rulings on these motions," it said in the statement.

States call it a "rip-off"

The verdict came after less than a week of deliberations in a federal courtroom in New York. The judge in the case will now determine the total damages amount and penalties, according to California Attorney General Rob Bonta's office, which was part of the lawsuit.

"In the face of dwindling antitrust enforcement by the Trump Administration, this verdict shows just how far states can go to protect our residents from big corporations that are using their power to illegally raise prices and rip-off Americans," Bonta said in a statement on Wednesday after the verdict.

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The New York jury found that Ticketmaster overcharged customers in 22 states by an average of $1.72 per ticket. If a judge ordered the company to issue refunds, it could result in Live Nation owing consumers hundreds of millions of dollars. Live Nation and Ticketmaster could also be forced to divest concert venues or even to break up.

"They've been making promises for decades and then breaking those promises," Notre Dame's Alford said. "So the fact that they have tried behavioral remedies in the past and failed, I think, increases the chances of a breakup."

In its statement on Wednesday, Live Nation said the $1.72 per ticket "applies to a limited number of tickets—those sold at 257 venues, which represent about 20% of total tickets—and only to purchases by fans (excluding brokers) in certain states over the past five years. Based on that scope, we believe the aggregate single damages figure would be below $150 million, which would be trebled."

"In connection with the DOJ settlement, Live Nation has already accrued $280 million toward state damages and civil penalty claims," the ticketing company said.

Ticketmaster, founded in 1976 in Phoenix, Arizona, was acquired by Live Nation in 2010. After merging, the new entity, Live Nation Entertainment, billed itself as the "largest live entertainment company in the world" and the "largest producer of live music concerts in the world."

In 2025, Live Nation's concert business generated nearly $21 billion, or 83% of its total revenue for the year, according to the company's annual report.

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”