A Manhattan federal jury found Wednesday that concert giant Live Nation and its subsidiary, Ticketmaster, maintained an illegal monopoly over major concert venues, ruling in favor of the federal government and dozens of states.
The civil antitrust lawsuit, originally filed by the U.S. Department of Justice along with the District of Columbia and several states, including Utah, alleged the company used its market dominance to stifle competition. Prosecutors argued Live Nation engaged in “anticompetitive conduct” by controlling nearly every aspect of the industry from ticketing, concert booking, venues and promotions, according to NBC News.
This conduct resulted in inflated fees for fans, fewer tour options for artists and pressure for venues to use Ticketmaster’s services, according to The Associated Press.
“Today, a jury confirmed what we went to court over: Live Nation and Ticketmaster monopolized the market at fans’ expense,” said Utah Attorney General Derek Brown in a statement to the Deseret News. “Utah and our 33 partner attorneys general fought for every fan who was overcharged, and we won. Our fight isn’t over — next comes the remedies phase, where we will pursue every available tool to make sure this verdict delivers lasting change for fans."
During the seven-week trial, Live Nation repeatedly argued against its monopoly allegations. It argued that it competes aggressively with other ticketers and concert promoters, but not in an illegal fashion, according to The New York Times.
Live Nation and Ticketmaster now face potential damages totaling hundreds of millions of dollars. The jury determined Ticketmaster overcharged consumers in 34 states by $1.72 per ticket, according to The New York Times. The companies may also face additional penalties. Following the jury’s finding, the judge will set an overall damages amount.
The presiding judge directed attorneys for both sides and the federal government to draft a joint letter proposing a schedule for post-trial motions and potential remedies. That filing is due to the court next week, according to The Associated Press.
The New York Times noted that no matter the remedy, orders from the judge will likely lead to a shift in the concert industry’s competitive landscape.