3 hours ago - Business

DOJ settles antitrust case with Live Nation and Ticketmaster

Dan Primack

Ticketmaster and Live Nation logos — Photo: Jonathan Raa/NurPhoto via Getty Images

The Department of Justice and Live Nation have settled their antitrust dispute, which had been focused on the 2010 merger of Live Nation and Ticketmaster.

Why it matters: The settlement means that Live Nation won't need to divest Ticketmaster, or any other assets, despite DOJ having argued that the tie-up had created an illegal monopoly that hurt both consumers and performers.

Flashback: DOJ filed its lawsuit in 2024, and the trial began earlier this month.

A large number of state attorney generals also sued, only some of whom have signed onto the DOJ settlement.

Zoom in: One concession obtained by DOJ is that at least some Live Nation venues that had exclusive ticketing deals with Ticketmaster will become open to other primary ticketing agencies, but Live Nation isn't divesting any actual venues.

The big picture: The settlement represents a green light for U.S. dealmakers, coming just weeks after the Trump administration forced out DOJ antitrust chief Gail Slater.

The bottom line: Don't expect the decision to be politically popular.

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DOJ settles antitrust case with Live Nation and Ticketmaster

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