Jury Finds Live Nation and Ticketmaster Guilty of Monopoly
On April 15, 2026, a federal jury in New York delivered a landmark verdict against Live Nation Entertainment, Inc. and Ticketmaster L.L.C., finding them liable on all counts in a sweeping civil antitrust lawsuit. The jury concluded that the Defendants willfully maintained monopolies in primary ticketing services and the use of large amphitheaters, utilizing a "flywheel" strategy to suppress competition. Key findings included the unlawful tying of artist promotion services to venue access and the use of exclusionary long-term contracts to lock out rivals. The jury awarded damages of $1.72 per ticket across 22 states, totaling potential hundreds of millions in penalties, and affirmed violations of various state laws, including the California Unfair Competition Law and New York’s Donnelly Act.