A federal antitrust trial started Tuesday in New York with Justice Department lawyers arguing that Ticketmaster and Live Nation have created a monopoly that hurts consumers and artists. The companies deny the allegations and say they don't have monopoly power. The trial is expected to last six weeks.
A federal antitrust trial began Tuesday in Manhattan with Justice Department attorneys arguing that Ticketmaster and its parent company Live Nation Entertainment have created a stranglehold on the concert ticketing business that hurts both fans and performers.
Attorney David Dahlquist from the Justice Department’s antitrust division delivered opening statements to jurors, explaining that the federal government and 39 states are seeking to break up what they consider an illegal monopoly that inflates ticket prices.
“This case is about power, the power of a monopolist to control competition,” Dahlquist told the jury. “Today, the concert ticket industry is broken.”
Defense attorney David Marriott, representing the companies, challenged the government’s position and promised to present data contradicting the monopoly claims.
“We’ll let the numbers do the talking,” Marriott stated. “We do not have monopoly power.”
Federal Judge Arun Subramanian informed jurors they will hear testimony and review evidence for approximately six weeks before determining whether Live Nation and Ticketmaster violated federal antitrust regulations.
The legal action originated from a 2024 lawsuit claiming the companies have strangled competition and gained control over multiple aspects of the concert business, from event promotion to ticket sales.
Founded in 1976, Ticketmaster became the globe’s dominant ticket distributor for live entertainment, sports events, and theater productions after combining with Live Nation in 2010.
The Justice Department attorney highlighted the public backlash that occurred in November 2022 when Ticketmaster’s website failed during presales for Taylor Swift’s stadium tour.
Company officials blamed the technical failure on overwhelming demand from legitimate fans combined with automated bot attacks designed to purchase tickets for resale on secondary markets. The incident led to congressional investigations and proposed state legislation to strengthen consumer protections.
According to Dahlquist, Live Nation employs anti-competitive tactics including lengthy venue contracts spanning five to seven years that prevent competitors from entering the market, and restrictions that stop venues from working with multiple ticketing services.
The conflict between Ticketmaster and performers spans decades, with Pearl Jam challenging the company’s practices in 1994, though federal prosecutors chose not to pursue charges at that time.
Live Nation maintains that performers and their management teams control ticket pricing and distribution methods.
Defense attorney Marriott described Live Nation as the music industry’s greatest advocate for artists, facilitating 55,000 concerts featuring 11,000 performers for 159 million attendees in 2025.
He disputed government claims about company profits, arguing that while prosecutors claim Ticketmaster earns $7 per ticket, the actual revenue is $5 with net profits under $2 after operating costs.
According to Marriott, Live Nation and Ticketmaster “are all about bringing joy to people’s lives.”