Judge Orders Live Nation, DOJ, and States to Settle Antitrust Case

Parties given until Friday to reach agreement, otherwise trial to proceed next week

Published on Mar. 10, 2026

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A federal judge has ordered Live Nation, the Department of Justice, and a group of states to remain at the courthouse and attempt to reach a settlement in an antitrust case against the entertainment giant. If the parties fail to reach an agreement by Friday, the judge indicated he will move forward with a trial as soon as next week.

Why it matters

The case against Live Nation, the parent company of Ticketmaster, is seen as a major test of the Biden administration's efforts to crack down on anti-competitive practices in the live events industry. Several states have refused to accept a settlement that does not fully address their concerns, setting the stage for a potentially high-stakes trial.

The details

During a hearing on Tuesday, Judge Arun Subramanian told Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino, DOJ Antitrust Division acting chief Omeed Assefi, and representatives of the states that had not settled to remain at the courthouse and try to reach a broader deal. Subramanian seemed eager to move forward with the trial next week if a settlement could not be reached by Friday, despite Live Nation's lawyer saying there was "zero chance" of a deal by then.

  • The Justice Department revealed its settlement with Live Nation on Monday, surprising the jury that was waiting to continue hearing testimony.
  • The signed term sheet between the DOJ and Live Nation was dated last Thursday, but the judge was not informed until the hearing on Tuesday.

The players

Judge Arun Subramanian

The federal judge overseeing the case who has ordered the parties to remain at the courthouse and try to reach a settlement by Friday.

Michael Rapino

The CEO of Live Nation, the parent company of Ticketmaster.

Omeed Assefi

The acting chief of the DOJ's Antitrust Division.

Dan Wall

The corporate representative for Live Nation.

New York, California, DC, Texas, and Tennessee

The states that make up the settlement committee.

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What they’re saying

“You will remain here,”

— Judge Arun Subramanian

“There is zero chance we get this done by Friday.”

— Dan Wall, Live Nation corporate representative

“Well, not with that attitude,”

— Judge Arun Subramanian

“When people have their attention focused and they're there, that's 90 percent of the ball game sometimes,”

— Judge Arun Subramanian

“Both sides seem to want to go on vacation,”

— Judge Arun Subramanian

What’s next

If the parties fail to reach a settlement by Friday, the judge indicated he will move forward with a trial as soon as next week.

The takeaway

This case highlights the high stakes involved in the government's efforts to rein in the power of Live Nation and Ticketmaster, and the challenges in getting all parties to agree on a resolution. The judge's forceful approach underscores the urgency to find a solution that addresses the states' concerns about anti-competitive practices in the live events industry.