Live Nation and Ticketmaster Challenge Federal Monopoly Verdict in New York Court

Live Nation and Ticketmaster have filed formal motions in federal court seeking to overturn an April jury verdict that found the companies operated an illegal monopoly over primary ticketing at major US concert venues. The companies are requesting either that the verdict be thrown out entirely or that Judge Arun Subramanian grant a new trial. The request marks the latest escalation in a high-stakes antitrust case that threatens the future of the combined entertainment and ticketing giant.

The Court Challenge

On Thursday, the companies submitted final written arguments in reply briefs to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. Their motions, originally filed in May, target the April 15 verdict following a five-week trial in Manhattan. Live Nation and Ticketmaster filed two separate motions: one under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 50(b) asking the court to enter judgment as a matter of law, which would override the jury decision, and another under Rule 59 seeking a new trial if the first motion fails.

In their judgment brief, Live Nation characterised the case as "the first-ever jury trial in a government monopolization action," arguing that prosecutors won through "made-for-juries emotional arguments." The company contends that states secured evidence that fell outside the proper scope of the trial, including testimony about parking fees, lawn-chair rentals, and European ticketing practices. The company also objected to the use of a phrase from internal Live Nation documents—"robbing them blind baby"—which prosecutors used to demonstrate monopolistic intent.

The Original Verdict

The jury determined that Live Nation and Ticketmaster illegally monopolised primary ticketing at major concert venues and overcharged consumers by USD $1.72 per ticket on sales between May 2020 and 2024. During the trial, prosecutors' attorney Jeffrey Kessler told jurors that Live Nation functions as a "monopolistic bully" controlling 86 percent of the ticketing market for major concert venues. The verdict raised questions about the structural viability of the Live Nation-Ticketmaster combination, which has dominated the concert and ticketing industry for years.

The outcome represents a significant legal setback for the companies and opens the possibility of substantial remedies, which could include divestitures or operational restrictions. Judge Subramanian has not yet signalled when he will rule on the post-trial motions.