Firm was accused of being a monopolist controlling nearly all US dwell leisure
WASHINGTON:
Reside Nation reached a tentative settlement with the US Justice Division on Monday within the federal antitrust case introduced towards the leisure large.
The settlement, which requires the approval of District Choose Arun Subramanian, comes simply days after the antitrust trial started in New York.
The case was initiated beneath then-president Joe Biden, with prosecutors accusing Reside Nation — which owns Ticketmaster -— of being a monopolist that managed nearly all dwell leisure in the USA.
The settlement requires Reside Nation to open up the ticketing platform to opponents and to permit different promoters to stage occasions at sure Reside Nation venues, Justice Division officers stated.
Reside Nation will divest as much as 13 amphitheaters and pay $280 million in damages to the practically 40 states that had been events to the antitrust lawsuit towards the California-based firm.
The elevated competitors ought to lead to ticket costs coming down, the officers stated.
Reside Nation shares surged greater than six % on the New York Inventory Alternate on Monday.
New York and various different states declined to hitch the settlement and stated their litigation towards Reside Nation would proceed.
“For years, Reside Nation has made huge earnings by exploiting its unlawful monopoly and elevating prices for exhibits,” New York Lawyer Common Letitia James stated.
“The settlement lately introduced with the US Division of Justice fails to handle the monopoly on the heart of this case, and would profit Reside Nation on the expense of customers,” James stated in a press release.
“We’ll preserve combating this case with out the federal authorities in order that we will safe justice for all these harmed by Reside Nation’s monopoly.”
A spokesperson for the New York legal professional common stated prosecutors would file a movement with the court docket in search of a mistrial and file a brand new case towards Reside Nation introduced solely by the states.
The Justice Division officers stated talks with various the states had been ongoing they usually had been hopeful a few of them will finally log out on the settlement.
‘Betrayed‘
Reside Nation welcomed the settlement with president and CEO Michael Rapino calling it a “main step in bettering the live performance expertise for artists and followers all through the USA.”
Rapino stated it’s going to give artists “larger flexibility in selecting their promotional companions and ticketing technique whereas additionally conserving the price of a live performance extra reasonably priced for followers.”
Reside Nation is a behemoth in its trade: in 2025 it organized greater than 55,000 occasions worldwide, drawing 159 million attendees.
Past promotion, it holds stakes in 460 venues and, since 2010, has managed Ticketmaster, the world’s main ticket vendor.
The Justice Division had accused Reside Nation of abusing its dominant place to stress artists and venues into signing with it, stifle competitors, and impose extreme charges on followers.
The Trump administration’s choice to press ahead with the case towards Reside Nation had stunned many observers, who had interpreted the current resignation of Justice Division competitors chief Gail Slater as an indication the case can be dropped.
Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren condemned the settlement in a publish on X.
“Donald Trump simply betrayed each fan who’s been exploited by Ticketmaster,” Warren stated. “This positive is lower than one % of Reside Nation’s income final 12 months. We have to break up Ticketmaster and Reside Nation.”
