Michigan AG Calls DOJ's Live Nation Settlement "Preposterous", Vows to Continue Antitrust Lawsuit

Nessel and 26 other state AGs reject the DOJ's settlement with Live Nation and will pursue their own antitrust case against the entertainment giant.

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, along with 26 other state and district attorneys general, is continuing to litigate an antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation, which owns Ticketmaster, after the U.S. Department of Justice announced a settlement with the company. Nessel called the DOJ's settlement "preposterous" and said Michigan will not be a party to it, vowing to pursue the case independently with the other states.

Why it matters

The DOJ's settlement with Live Nation has been widely criticized as not going far enough to address the company's alleged monopolistic practices in the live entertainment industry. Nessel and the other state AGs believe more aggressive action is needed to break up Live Nation's dominance and increase competition.

The details

In May 2024, the DOJ filed an antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation, alleging "monopolization and other unlawful conduct that thwarts competition in markets across the live entertainment industry." Under the settlement announced this week, Live Nation will pay $200 million in damages to participating states and Ticketmaster will have to open parts of its platform to rival ticketing companies. However, the settlement also allows Live Nation to retain control of a significant number of major concert venues nationwide.

  • The DOJ first filed the antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation in May 2024.
  • The DOJ announced the settlement with Live Nation in March 2026.

The players

Dana Nessel

The Attorney General of Michigan, leading a coalition of 26 other state AGs in continuing the antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation.

Live Nation

The entertainment company that owns Ticketmaster and is accused of monopolistic practices in the live event industry.

U.S. Department of Justice

The federal agency that filed the original antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation in 2024, but has now reached a settlement with the company that Nessel and other state AGs consider inadequate.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Michigan will not be a party to the preposterous settlement negotiated between Live Nation and the U.S. Department of Justice. We remain aligned with our state co-plaintiffs and will pursue our claims without the DOJ, who would rather preserve the interests of those with the ear of this corrupt administration than take on the Live Nation monopoly.”

— Dana Nessel, Attorney General of Michigan (Michigan Advance)

“You really couldn't send a clearer message that antitrust is dead at the federal level than settling this particular case.”

— John Newman, Former senior antitrust official at DOJ and FTC (NBC News)

What’s next

Nessel and the coalition of 26 other state AGs will continue to litigate the antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation, pursuing the case independently from the DOJ's settlement.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing tensions between federal and state-level antitrust enforcement, with state AGs like Nessel taking a more aggressive stance against major corporations like Live Nation than the DOJ. It underscores the challenges of reining in the power of dominant companies in highly consolidated industries.