Court Denies Live Nation's Bid to Dismiss DOJ Antitrust Lawsuit

Ticketmaster parent company must face trial over allegations of monopolizing ticket sales and tying venue use to promotion business.

Published on Feb. 23, 2026

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A U.S. District Judge has denied Live Nation's motion to dismiss an antitrust lawsuit brought by the Justice Department and several states. The lawsuit accuses Live Nation, the parent company of Ticketmaster, of violating antitrust laws by monopolizing ticket sales to major concert venues and illegally tying the use of its amphitheaters to its promotion business. While the judge dismissed claims that Live Nation monopolized concert promotions and bookings, a jury will now decide whether the company's exclusive contracts are the result of coercion or venue preference.

Why it matters

The ruling means Live Nation must face trial over allegations that it has leveraged its dominant positions as the nation's largest concert promoter, ticket seller, and venue owner to undermine competition in the live events industry. If the government prevails, it could lead to the breakup of Live Nation and Ticketmaster, potentially lowering ticket prices for consumers.

The details

The judge found that there is a 'genuine dispute of material fact' over whether Live Nation has used its monopoly power to foreclose competition. More than 70% of Ticketmaster's contracts have exclusivity provisions, and the company accounts for up to 86% of all tickets sold, indicating that upwards of 50% of the market is foreclosed from competing - a threshold typically believed to violate antitrust laws. The government has argued that Ticketmaster coerces venues by conditioning access to artists on picking the company as the ticketer, and that Live Nation would divert concerts to competing venues if it didn't get the ticketing contract.

  • The lawsuit was brought by the Justice Department and 40 state attorneys general in 2024.
  • The trial is scheduled to begin with jury selection in New York federal court on March 2, 2026.

The players

Live Nation

The parent company of Ticketmaster and the largest concert promoter, ticket seller, and venue owner in the United States.

U.S. Department of Justice

The federal agency that brought the antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation.

Judge Arun Subramanian

The U.S. District Judge who denied Live Nation's bid to dismiss the DOJ's antitrust lawsuit.

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What they’re saying

“A jury must decide whether the exclusive contracts are the product of coercion (as there's some evidence for) or venue preference (as there's some evidence for). There is a genuine dispute of material fact as to whether Live Nation has used monopoly power to foreclose competition.”

— Judge Arun Subramanian, U.S. District Judge

“The deficiencies we identified in the Government's monopoly power and conduct claims have not gone away, and we continue to believe that we will prevail in the end.”

— Dan Wall, Live Nation Executive VP of Corporate and Regulatory Affairs

What’s next

The trial is scheduled to begin with jury selection in New York federal court on March 2, 2026, barring a last-minute settlement between Live Nation and the Justice Department.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing antitrust scrutiny of Live Nation's dominant position in the live events industry, with the government seeking to break up the company's vertical integration of concert promotion, ticketing, and venue ownership. The outcome could have significant implications for competition and consumer prices in the live music market.