Live Nation Operated Ticket Monopoly, Federal Jury Finds
A federal jury delivered a victory to concertgoers Wednesday, ruling the actions of Live Nation and its subsidiary Ticketmaster led to overpriced tickets. It’s unclear what will follow the decision, but the company promises to fight back.
The Fillmore Philly | Photo by Kate McCann for WXPN | katemccannphotography.com
Concert tickets in Philadelphia could get cheaper after a federal jury ruled Wednesday that Live Nation has been operating as an illegal monopoly.
The jury found the company and its subsidiary Ticketmaster harmed consumers and overcharged ticket buyers, siding with an antitrust lawsuit brought by 33 states, including Pennsylvania, and Washington, D.C. in 2024. The suit was spurred in part by the 2022 Taylor Swift Eras Tour sale, which crashed Ticketmaster’s site and sent resale prices soaring.
The jury found the companies liable on all monopolization counts and determined Ticketmaster overcharged consumers by $1.72 per ticket. The judge overseeing the trial will decide how that overpricing gets remedied, and could also force Live Nation to divest from Ticketmaster.
“This is a huge win for consumers, as a jury has agreed with our position that these two mega companies have essentially had a stranglehold on a multi-billion-dollar industry that limited Pennsylvanians’ options for enjoying their favorite artists,” Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday said in a statement. “I am proud that our office has been part of a bipartisan coalition that continued this case under extraordinary circumstances and took it to a jury.”
The Attorney General’s office says Pennsylvanians have spent roughly $1.5 billion on live entertainment recently.
Philadelphia venues owned or operated by Live Nation include The Fillmore, The Met, Theater of Living Arts, The Foundry, and others.
While attorneys general, musicians, and concertgoers are cheering the decision, Live Nation has vowed to fight back.
“The jury’s verdict is not the last word on this matter,” the company said in a statement, adding that it can and will appeal any unfavorable rulings on motions it plans to file. “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 U.S. Department of Justice reached a separate settlement with Live Nation on March 5 that required the company to create that $280 million fund. The settlement also required Live Nation to divest from 13 of its exclusive booking agreements with amphitheaters, cap fees at 15 percent of face value, and open parts of its platform to other companies.