Live Nation, which owns three Virginia amphitheaters, among the 265 that it owns across the U.S. and globally, has tentatively settled an antitrust suit with the Trump DOJ – though a number of states are signaling that they’re going to continue to press their part of the suit.
It was the Biden DOJ and 40 states that filed the antitrust suit challenging Live Nation’s business practices in 2024.
You’re no doubt not surprised to see the Trump DOJ siding with the multibillion-dollar business against the interests of consumers and performing artists.
“The case against Live Nation is strong, and the state coalition is committed to holding the company accountable for its illegal behavior, protecting consumers, and restoring competition to this market,” a group of state AGs, including Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones, said in a joint statement released on Monday, upon news breaking of the federal settlement.
“The settlement recently announced does not adequately remedy the harms to the marketplace for live music and to concertgoers caused by Live Nation. We are willing and able to stand with other partner states to continue litigating this case without the federal government so that we can hold Live Nation accountable in court and secure appropriate relief in this case,” the AGs group said.
Live Nation, which owns Jiffy Lube Live in Northern Virginia, Veterans United Home Loans Ampitheater in Virginia Beach, and the new Allianz Amphitheater in Richmond, has a market cap at $38.5 billion.
The settlement with the Trump DOJ would require the company, which merged with Ticketmaster in 2010, to pay a $280 million fine and divest itself of 13 amphitheaters nationwide, while opening its ticketing processes so competitors can share in the sale of tickets, and capping its service fees at 15 percent of ticket prices.
The fine is practically nothing for a company the size of Live Nation.
“Live Nation’s reported settlement amount – $280 million – is the equivalent of four days of their 2025 revenue, which means they could potentially make it back by this Friday,” said Stephen Parker, executive director of the National Independent Venue Association, a trade association representing thousands of independent live entertainment venues, festivals and promoters.
“The reported settlement does not appear to include any specific and explicit protections for fans, artists, or independent venues and festivals,” Parker said. “Reported details also indicate that ticket resale platforms could be further empowered through new requirements for Ticketmaster to host their listings, which would likely exacerbate the price gouging potential for predatory resellers and the platforms that serve them.
“If these facts are true, NIVA views this as a failure of the justice system,” Parker said.
It’s par for the course that the big business-friendly Trump regime would cave to the interests of a multibillion-dollar company against the interests of, in particular, consumers, who are the ones footing the bill for the higher ticket prices that result from Live Nation forcing venues to use its Ticketmaster service at the risk of losing out on the availability of performing artists.
“The Justice Department’s settlement would benefit Live Nation at the expense of consumers, and we cannot agree to it,” New York Attorney General Letitia James said in a statement on Monday. “My colleagues and I have a strong case, and we will continue our lawsuit and keep fighting to protect Americans without the federal government.”
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Chris Graham
