The web of litigation around Live Nation, Ticketmaster, and the companies’ alleged monopoly is getting more complicated — but it could be good news for concertgoers who are sick of dynamic pricing and inexplicable service fees.

The Department of Justice and 40 state attorneys general sued Live Nation, owner of Ticketmaster, in 2024 for alleged monopolistic practices. The two companies had merged in 2010 to form an entertainment giant that came to control the majority of ticket sales and venue bookings in the country, which made it more difficult for other companies to compete, according to the lawsuit. Without meaningful competition, customers had no choice but to accept Live Nation’s dubious pricing models, which critics say benefit the company’s bottom line, rather than artists.

Last month, the DOJ tentatively settled with Live Nation, while a separate state-level trial was already underway. But 34 of the attorneys general pressed forward, and on Wednesday, a federal jury found that Live Nation had been operating as an illegal monopoly.

During the widely followed trial, Slack messages surfaced between two Live Nation employees: Ben Baker, now head of ticketing for Venue Nation, and Jeff Weinhold, now a senior director in the ticketing department.

“These people are so stupid,” Baker said in a conversation about raising prices on parking. “I almost feel bad taking advantage of them BAHAHAHAHAHA.”

In a later conversation, also about parking prices, Baker said, “Robbing them blind baby.”

Live Nation argued that these remarks represented “off-the-cuff banter, not policy, decision-making, or facts of consequence.”

Techcrunch event

Meet your next investor or portfolio startup at Disrupt

Your next round. Your next hire. Your next breakout opportunity. Find it at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, where 10,000+ founders, investors, and tech leaders gather for three days of 250+ tactical sessions, powerful introductions, and market-defining innovation. Register now to save up to $410.

Meet your next investor or portfolio startup at Disrupt

San Francisco, CA

October 13-15, 2026

As part of the DOJ settlement, Live Nation is supposed to pay a $280 million fine and divest at least 13 of its venues, requiring those venues to accept bookings from competing promoters. But given the jury’s separate finding on Wednesday that Live Nation operated as an illegal monopoly, the consequences might end up being more severe.

What happens next isn’t clear. Judge Arun Subramanian still has to determine remedies at a later date. But the possibility of breaking up Live Nation and Ticketmaster remains on the table.

Topics

Live Nation Entertainment, Media & Entertainment, monopoly

Amanda Silberling

Senior Writer

Amanda Silberling is a senior writer at TechCrunch covering the intersection of technology and culture. She has also written for publications like Polygon, MTV, the Kenyon Review, NPR, and Business Insider. She is the co-host of Wow If True, a podcast about internet culture, with science fiction author Isabel J. Kim. Prior to joining TechCrunch, she worked as a grassroots organizer, museum educator, and film festival coordinator. She holds a B.A. in English from the University of Pennsylvania and served as a Princeton in Asia Fellow in Laos.

You can contact or verify outreach from Amanda by emailing amanda@techcrunch.com or via encrypted message at @amanda.100 on Signal.

View Bio

April 30

San Francisco, CA

StrictlyVC kicks off the year in SF. Get in the room for unfiltered fireside chats with industry leaders, insider VC insights, and high-value connections that actually move the needle. Tickets are limited.

Wait, could they still actually break up Live Nation?