Half the states refuse DOJ’s Ticketmaster deal and push ahead

Michigan leads states against the settlement

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced on March 9 that her state will not join the settlement the Department of Justice reached with Live Nation. Nessel called the proposed deal “preposterous.”

Michigan is one of 27 states, plus Washington, D.C., continuing the antitrust case on their own.

The coalition rejecting the deal crosses party lines, with both Democratic and Republican attorneys general pushing back against the agreement.

The DOJ sued to break up the company

The DOJ sued Live Nation and its subsidiary Ticketmaster in May 2024, accusing the company of monopolizing the live entertainment industry. About 40 states and D.C. signed on as co-plaintiffs.

The government argued Live Nation used its grip on ticketing, concert promotion, and venues to block competitors and drive up prices for fans.

If the government had won at trial, a judge could have forced Live Nation to sell off Ticketmaster entirely.

One merger built a ticketing giant

Live Nation and Ticketmaster merged in 2010, creating the biggest live entertainment company in the world. The DOJ approved the deal under conditions meant to prevent anti-competitive behavior.

By 2019, the DOJ found Live Nation had broken those conditions multiple times and tightened the rules. Today, Ticketmaster handles about 80% of primary ticketing at major U.S. concert venues.

The botched 2022 Taylor Swift tour ticket sale brought fresh pressure from Congress for antitrust action.

The deal keeps Ticketmaster intact

Under the proposed settlement, Live Nation would not have to sell Ticketmaster.

The company would cap Ticketmaster service fees at 15% at its own amphitheaters and open those venues to rival concert promoters.

Venues with exclusive Ticketmaster contracts could start using other ticketing services for a share of their tickets. Live Nation would also give up exclusive booking deals with 13 amphitheaters across the country.

A $280 million fund drew sharp criticism

Live Nation set aside about $280 million to pay damage claims to states that join the settlement. The DOJ itself gets no separate financial payment.

The National Independent Venue Association pointed out that $280 million equals roughly four days of Live Nation’s 2025 revenue. The group said the deal lacks real protections for fans, artists, and independent venues.

If fewer states sign on, the total payout shrinks even further.

State attorneys general explain their opposition

Nessel said the DOJ chose to protect a politically connected company instead of fighting the case at trial.

New York Attorney General Letitia James said the settlement fails to address the monopoly at the heart of the case.

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes said the deal does not do enough to fix harm done to consumers and the live music market.

Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser said his state will keep pushing to hold Live Nation accountable and restore competition.

States say they found out from reporters

According to court filings, the states learned about the settlement talks through news reports, not from the DOJ or Live Nation. States said they asked both sides repeatedly for details about the terms but got nothing.

When the deal finally came together, states had roughly one day to decide whether to sign on. Some states asked the court for a mistrial and 60 days to prepare to continue the case without federal support.

The judge scolded both sides for secrecy

Federal Judge Arun Subramanian rebuked the DOJ and Live Nation on March 10 for negotiating the settlement in secret during the trial.

The DOJ and Live Nation signed a binding term sheet on Thursday, March 6, but let the trial continue the next day without telling the court.

Subramanian said he found out Sunday night and did not see the document until Monday morning. He called the DOJ’s lack of transparency “mind-boggling.”

Even some of the DOJ’s own trial lawyers reportedly had no idea the deal had been signed.

Talks stall as the trial pauses

The trial is on hold through the end of the week while the states and Live Nation try to negotiate. Judge Subramanian ordered Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino and state representatives to stay at the courthouse for talks.

But Live Nation’s top lawyer told the court there is basically no chance of reaching a deal with the states this week.

If talks fall apart, the trial could pick back up the following week with the states pressing claims on their own. The DOJ’s tentative settlement still needs the judge’s approval.

Political ties raised questions about the deal

The settlement came about a month after Gail Slater, the DOJ’s former top antitrust official, left her position in February.

In May 2025, Live Nation added Richard Grenell, a close ally of President Trump, to its board of directors.

A former senior DOJ and Federal Trade Commission antitrust official said the settlement sends a clear signal about the current administration’s approach to monopolies. Live Nation denied any wrongdoing as part of the deal.

Fans may not see much change soon

If the settlement goes through, venues could use ticketing services other than Ticketmaster for a portion of their tickets.

But the 15% fee cap would only apply at Live Nation-controlled amphitheaters, not every venue in the country.

Experts have noted that high ticket prices also come from the unregulated secondary resale market, which this settlement does not touch.

The states continuing the lawsuit argue fans need stronger action to see real price relief.

The states press ahead with new counsel

The states’ lawsuit will move forward on claims that Live Nation used threats and retaliation to lock venues into exclusive Ticketmaster deals.

The coalition hired prominent antitrust attorney Jeff Kessler of Winston and Strawn to lead the case in place of the DOJ’s legal team.

The case is before Judge Subramanian in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. Whether the states can win a stronger outcome than the DOJ settlement remains an open question.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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