27 States Continue Ticketmaster Monopoly Fight Alone

When federal prosecutors suddenly dropped their case against Ticketmaster mid-trial, attorneys general from 27 states decided they weren't done fighting. They're moving forward with their antitrust lawsuit, determined to break up what they call a monopoly controlling 80% of major concert ticketing.

The Trump administration shocked courtroom observers on March 8 by announcing a settlement with Live Nation and its Ticketmaster subsidiary. State attorneys general, who had been working alongside federal prosecutors since the case began in 2024, learned about the deal at the same time as everyone else.

Even the presiding judge was caught off guard. Judge Arun Subramanian told the courtroom the settlement announcement showed "absolute disrespect for the court, the jury and this entire process." Neither side had mentioned during a Friday morning meeting that they'd already signed an agreement the day before.

The settlement requires Live Nation to allow venues to use multiple ticket vendors instead of Ticketmaster exclusively. The company must also let artists use other promoters at its amphitheaters and pay $280 million in civil penalties to participating states. A 15% cap on service fees would apply to Live Nation amphitheaters.

Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell voiced what many states are thinking. The settlement "falls far short of protecting consumers, artists, and venues," she said. For a company that reported $25.2 billion in revenue in 2025, the penalties feel too small.

Live Nation controls more than 265 concert venues in North America and manages over 400 musical artists. The states argue this massive concentration of power has hurt fans, artists, and smaller venues across the country.

The Bright Side

The persistence of these 27 states shows that consumer protection doesn't have to end when federal priorities shift. Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, DC, Illinois, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming are all continuing the fight.

Their motion for a mistrial argues that the federal government's sudden exit could wrongly suggest to jurors that Live Nation's antitrust violations have been resolved. These attorneys general want a fresh start to make their case properly.

The states are still pushing for what the original lawsuit demanded: forcing Live Nation to sell off Ticketmaster completely. They believe only full divestiture can restore real competition to the concert industry and give fans better prices and service.

State-level action is proving that meaningful antitrust enforcement can continue even when federal priorities change, giving hope to millions of concertgoers tired of high fees and limited choices.