Live Nation, Ticketmaster Antitrust Trial to Resume After 7 States Join Settlement

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A federal judge in New York has ruled that the antitrust trial against Live Nation and Ticketmaster will resume on Monday after negotiations this week failed to result in many states joining a tentative settlement reached by the Justice Department. While 7 states have now joined the federal settlement, the remaining 32 states involved plan to continue their case, arguing that the companies have been squelching competition and driving up prices for fans.

Why it matters

This high-profile trial is seen as a major test of the government's ability to rein in the power of Live Nation and Ticketmaster, which control much of the live entertainment industry. The outcome could have significant implications for concert-goers and the broader live events landscape.

The details

The trial will resume on Monday in the Manhattan federal court, with the judge rejecting Live Nation's objection to the inclusion of internal emails that show the company acknowledging 'outrageous' pricing for VIP amenities. The judge ruled that the overall fan experience is relevant to the case, as some artists may not want to perform if fans are being charged excessively for ancillary products. While the Justice Department reached a deal with 7 states, negotiations failed to bring many more states on board, with one Live Nation attorney saying the chance of all states settling this week was 'about zero'.

• The trial will resume on Monday, March 17, 2026.
• The jury began hearing evidence in the case only last week before the Justice Department reached a deal over the past weekend.

What they’re saying

What’s next

The judge urged the remaining 32 states to continue negotiating with Live Nation and Ticketmaster over the next few days to see if they can also reach a settlement, but the companies' attorney said the chance of that happening was 'about zero'.