Ticketmaster parent Live Nation faces potential breakup as landmark

Ticketmaster parent Live Nation faces potential breakup as landmark

Ticketmaster parent Live Nation faces a potential antitrust reckoning as a landmark case accusing the music big of working an unlawful monopoly over the live music business kicks off in Manhattan federal courtroom.

Jury choice started Monday in the civil case, which is anticipated to last about six weeks. The Justice Department and a coalition of state attorneys normal allege that the 2010 merger between Ticketmaster and Live Nation has stacked the deck against opponents and led to exorbitant sky-high ticket costs for Taylor Swift followers and other numerous other concertgoers.

Live Nation bigwigs Michael Rapino and Joe Berchtold and each anticipated to testify during the trial, as are President Trump ally Kid Rock and music business honchos like Irving Azoff and Louis Messina – the latter of which runs the company that oversees Swift’s ultra-lucrative excursions.

Ticket costs for Taylor Swift followers and other numerous other concertgoers are sky-high because of the Live Nation, Ticketmaster merger, according to the DOJ. AP

From the sports activities world, executives from the Brooklyn Nets and Dallas Cowboys are also anticipated to testify about their experiences, including claims that Live Nation forces enviornment operators to make use of Ticketmaster or threat shedding entry to its live shows.

The case might have major ramifications for the music business and will even result in a breakup of Live Nation if jurors in the end facet against the company. The company might also be ordered to pay damages to customers in varied states.

The case is shifting ahead for now despite a weekslong scramble by Live Nation to settle the case before it might go to courtroom. DOJ officers rejected a number of efforts by Live Nation to succeed in an settlement – though a deal might still be struck during or after the trial, Bloomberg reported.

The DOJ will make its arguments during a interval of inside upheaval that included the current exit of antitrust chief Gail Slater, who resigned last month amid reported infighting over how the company ought to deal with key circumstances, including Live Nation.

Live Nation has said it isn’t chargeable for surging ticket costs and has laid the blame partly on on-line ticket scalpers who snap up seats and resell them at a markup.

“The claim that Live Nation and Ticketmaster are responsible for high concert ticket prices and fees was, and is, false,” Live Nation government vp of regulatory affairs Dan Wall said in a current assertion.

The two ticketing firms merged in 2010. REUTERS

Last month, US District Judge Arun Subramanian shut down a request by Live Nation to dismiss the lawsuit.

The DOJ case is just one headache for Live Nation, which faces a separate bombshell lawsuit filed by the Federal Trade Commission. That lawsuit accuses Live Nation of turning a blind eye to bots that resell tens of millions of tickets on-line.

The company has also confronted warmth on Capitol Hill, with Sen. Marsha Blackburn just lately blasting Live Nation for what she called a “very insufficient” response to the bot allegations.

Kid Rock testifies on the value of live performance tickets before a Senate listening to on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. on January 28, 2026. REUTERS

Bringing down ticket costs has been a pet issue for Trump, who issued an government order last 12 months asking the FTC to look into the drawback.

Ticketmaster controls a large share – as much as 70% to 80%, according to some specialists – of the main ticket sale market.

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