Fans overcharged by $1.72 each by 'monopoly' Ticketmaster owner

Live Nation, the entertainment giant which owns Ticketmaster, has been illegally operating as a monopoly and overcharging fans, a federal jury has found.

The verdict followed four days of deliberations in a trial that could have a major impact on the music industry.

The concert venue and music festival owner could be forced to divest parts of its business or even split from Ticketmaster, an outcome former Attorney General Merrick Garland called for when he filed the lawsuit in May 2024.

The US Department of Justice's legal action said the firm's practices had kept out competitors, and led to higher ticket prices and worse service for customers.

As well as the potential remedies, which will be decided by Arun Subramanian, the judge in charge of the case, Live Nation could face a financial penalty.

The jury found Ticketmaster had overcharged customers by $1.72 (£1.27) on each ticket sold, with the figure to be used as the basis of the damages.

Live Nation argued throughout the trial that it is not a monopoly and competes "fiercely" with rivals in the entertainment space with sports teams, concert promoters and other venue operators.

In March, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said that it had reached a settlement with both companies in the case.

Despite anger from Judge Arun Subramanian over the suddenness of the settlement, which came just two weeks before the trial was set to begin, the DOJ withdrew from the case, as did the states of Arkansas, Nebraska and South Dakota.

Three dozen states' Attorneys General continued pursuing the case to trial.

Calls from fans and lawmakers to probe Live Nation's dominance of the live music industry grew louder in the aftermath of Taylor Swift's 2022 Eras Tour.

The company's system was overwhelmed by demand, forcing Ticketmaster to eventually apologise to Swift and her fans during a US Senate hearing.

Live Nation has been approached for comment.