States Seek Mistrial in Live Nation-Ticketmaster Antitrust Case

After DOJ settlement, over 2 dozen state AGs ask judge to restart trial

Published on Mar. 10, 2026

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Just a week after the trial began in a major federal antitrust case against Live Nation and Ticketmaster, the U.S. Department of Justice reached a $280 million settlement with the companies. However, more than two dozen state attorneys general, including Tennessee's Jonathan Skrmetti, are now asking a federal judge to declare a mistrial and allow the case to begin again, arguing that the DOJ's sudden exit could influence how jurors view the remaining claims.

Why it matters

The Live Nation-Ticketmaster merger has long been criticized for creating a monopoly in the live entertainment industry, leading to higher prices and less competition for consumers. The states argue that the DOJ's settlement does not go far enough to address these concerns, and they are determined to continue the legal fight to hold the companies accountable.

The details

Under the DOJ settlement, Live Nation agreed to pay $280 million and make some concessions, such as allowing independent promoters to distribute up to 50% of tickets at its amphitheaters and capping ticketing service fees at 15%. However, the states argue that these changes are not substantial enough to restore competition in the live entertainment market. They claim they were not aware of the settlement discussions until after the jury had already been seated and were given little time to review the terms.

  • The trial began just a week ago.
  • The DOJ reached a settlement with Live Nation this week.

The players

Live Nation

The parent company of Ticketmaster, a major player in the live entertainment industry that has been accused of creating a monopoly.

U.S. Department of Justice

The federal agency that initially brought the antitrust case against Live Nation and Ticketmaster, but has now reached a settlement with the companies.

Jonathan Skrmetti

The Tennessee Attorney General who is leading a coalition of over two dozen state AGs in asking the court to declare a mistrial and restart the case.

Stephen Parker

The executive director of the National Independent Venue Association, who has criticized the DOJ settlement as not going far enough to address the companies' monopolistic practices.

Garrett Nolan

A ticketing operations and event expert who has analyzed the potential impact of the DOJ settlement.

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What they’re saying

“Two hundred eighty million dollars is the equivalent of about four days of Live Nation's revenue in 2025. If their revenue tracks the same way it did last year, they could potentially recoup that amount by the end of the week.”

— Stephen Parker, Executive Director, National Independent Venue Association

“Unfortunately, the settlement agreement announced today will not lead to substantive changes that restore competition in live entertainment.”

— Stephen Parker, Executive Director, National Independent Venue Association

“We are proud to stand with a powerful core of conservative AGs and bipartisan partners from across the country committed to continuing the fight against Ticketmaster/Live Nation.”

— Jonathan Skrmetti, Tennessee Attorney General (News 2)

“I will be honest, I was a little surprised there were actually some changes. I thought it might just be a small fine. We probably will not see major changes right away, but it could set a precedent for how the live event ticketing ecosystem evolves over time.”

— Garrett Nolan, Ticketing Operations and Event Expert

What’s next

A federal judge has not yet ruled on the states' request for a mistrial. If granted, the case could begin again, with the states leading the legal fight against Live Nation and Ticketmaster.

The takeaway

The ongoing battle over Live Nation and Ticketmaster's dominance in the live entertainment industry highlights the challenges of addressing corporate monopolies and the importance of continued legal and regulatory scrutiny to protect consumers and independent businesses.