A federal judge in New York has denied Live Nation Entertainment Inc.’s attempt to narrow the Justice Department’s antitrust case, which seeks to break off Ticketmaster Entertainment Inc. from Live Nation, Bloomberg reported.
The companies merged more than 15 years ago, but the DOJ and multiple states now argue that Live Nation has unlawfully monopolized the live events industry.
US District Judge Arun Subramanian informed both parties in a hearing on Thursday that he was rejecting Live Nation’s motion to dismiss certain claims in the case. While Subramanian did not provide his reasoning at the hearing, he stated that his written order would be made public later on Thursday or Friday. Live Nation’s motion was not intended to dismiss the case entirely but to eliminate specific claims.
Neither the DOJ nor Live Nation provided immediate comments following the ruling. The hearing was also convened to address concerns raised by the DOJ regarding Live Nation’s alleged failure to submit documents according to the case’s schedule.
DOJ’s Antitrust Case Against Live Nation
The Justice Department, joined by around 30 states, filed suit against Live Nation last year, accusing the company of illegally monopolizing the live events industry. According to the lawsuit, Live Nation controls over 265 concert venues in North America and manages more than 400 musical artists. The complaint also alleges that the company holds at least 80% of major concert venue ticketing, giving it an overwhelming market dominance.
Live Nation has denied any wrongdoing and filed motions to dismiss parts of the case, including a claim arguing that the company has no legal duty to grant access to its concert venues to competitors. While motions to dismiss are common in antitrust litigation, they rarely succeed in government-initiated cases.
Broader Antitrust Efforts
The case against Live Nation is part of a broader push by the Justice Department’s antitrust division, which is also pursuing major monopolization cases against Alphabet Inc.’s Google, Apple Inc., and Visa Inc. The DOJ has intensified scrutiny of dominant market players, aiming to curb anticompetitive practices in various industries.
Live Nation and Ticketmaster have long been targets of both consumer complaints and government oversight. Their 2010 merger was approved under a settlement agreement that imposed certain conditions. However, the Justice Department argues that this settlement failed to prevent ongoing violations of antitrust laws, leading to the current lawsuit.
Next Steps in the Case
A trial is scheduled for March 2026. During the hearing, a DOJ attorney indicated that the government intends to hold an initial trial to determine whether Live Nation violated antitrust laws. If a violation is found, a separate proceeding will be held to determine appropriate remedies, which could include structural changes such as breaking up the company.
