The U.S. Department of Justice reported a tentative agreement in its antitrust lawsuit against Ticketmaster and Live Nation Entertainment on Monday, but multiple states have indicated they will continue their own legal actions rather than approve the deal.
Critics have long accused the companies of seeking monopoly power to artificially inflate sales fees. In 2024, Mark Meador wrote: “Live Nation Ticketmaster created a dominant conglomerate with an unprecedented amount of control over the live ticketing market, resulting in monopoly power it has used to entrench its position in the marketplace,” prior to being nominated as an FTC commissioner.
A senior Justice Department official described the deal as a “win-win for everybody” during an anonymous call with reporters. The agreement requires Live Nation to divest 13 U.S. amphitheaters and pay a $280 million fine.
New York Attorney General Letitia James has stated that her office will not support the deal and plans to continue lawsuits against the companies to “protect consumers and restore fair competition to the live entertainment industry.”
Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren criticized President Donald Trump on social media, saying: “If you love going to concerts, Trump’s deal means you’ll keep paying a ‘Ticketmaster Tax.’ And artists will keep getting bullied.”
The Justice Department official noted that a double-digit number of states have signaled they will agree with the deal.
