US jury finds Ticketmaster and Live Nation guilty of anticompetitive monopoly

A Manhattan federal jury has delivered a landmark decision finding that concert giant Live Nation Entertainment and its subsidiary Ticketmaster maintain a harmful monopoly over major concert venues across North America and beyond — a verdict with potential ramifications for the Australian live entertainment sector.

The jury deliberated for four days before reaching its decision on Wednesday, local time, in a closely watched antitrust case brought by dozens of US states and the District of Columbia. The finding represents a significant legal victory for regulators seeking to challenge the dominance of one of the world's most powerful entertainment corporations.

A landmark moment for antitrust enforcement

New York Attorney-General Letitia James described the outcome as "a landmark victory in our ongoing work to protect our economy and New Yorkers' wallets from harmful monopolies." The case provided an unprecedented look into the inner workings of Live Nation's control over the live entertainment industry, which extends far beyond American borders.

Jeffrey Kessler, the lead attorney for the prosecution, emerged from court expressing jubilation at the outcome. "It's a great day for antitrust law," he told reporters.

Live Nation insisted it was not a monopoly, maintaining that the live entertainment market remains competitive despite its dominant market position.

What comes next

The judge has instructed legal representatives from both sides to meet and prepare a joint letter outlining the schedule for forthcoming motions and the remedies phase of the case. This critical next stage will determine what penalties or structural changes Live Nation and Ticketmaster may face.

The remedies phase could potentially include forced asset sales, operational restrictions, or other measures designed to reduce the company's market power and increase competition in live event ticketing.

Implications for Australian consumers and venues

The verdict carries significant implications for Australian live entertainment. Live Nation dominates Australia's concert promotion industry and operates through partnerships with major venues, while Ticketmaster operates as Australia's primary ticketing platform for major events.

Australian music fans have long complained about high service fees, limited transparency in ticket pricing, and perceived collusion between venue operators and ticketing companies — issues mirroring those raised in the US case.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has previously scrutinised Live Nation's market position domestically, and this US verdict may provide momentum for similar regulatory action or private litigation in Australia.

Background

Live Nation Entertainment formed following Ticketmaster's 2010 merger with the live events promotion company. Ticketmaster was originally established in 1976. The combined entity has since become a vertically integrated behemoth, controlling ticketing infrastructure, venue operations, and artist promotion simultaneously — a structure that prosecutors argued fundamentally distorts market competition.

This story originally appeared on ABC News (United States)