politics
March 9, 2026
It looks like the DOJ isn't going to break up Live Nation and Ticketmaster
The DOJ and Live Nation agreed to a tentative settlement, but dozens of State Attorneys General don't want to drop the lawsuit.
TL;DR
- The U.S. Justice Department has tentatively settled an antitrust lawsuit with Ticketmaster and its parent company, Live Nation.
- Live Nation and Ticketmaster control the majority of ticket sales and venue bookings in the U.S.
- The proposed settlement includes a fine of up to $280 million and the divestiture of at least 13 venues.
- Twenty-six out of thirty state Attorneys General involved in the lawsuit have rejected the settlement and plan to continue legal action.
- Critics argue the settlement fails to address the monopoly and benefits Live Nation at the expense of consumers and artists.
- During the trial, a recorded adversarial phone call between Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino and former Barclays Center CEO John Abbamondi was presented, where Rapino allegedly made a threat regarding concert bookings.
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