(Hypebot) — A federal judge in New York denied Live Nation’s motion to narrow the antitrust case brought by the US Department of Justice and 39 state Attorney Generals from both parties.
According to internal Live Nation documents, 80% of US arenas that host NBA or NHL teams use Ticketmaster, and Live Nation-promoted events account for 70% of all US amphitheater shows. Live Nation and its subsidiary Ticketmaster had hoped that the incoming Trump administration would move to narrow or even dismiss the lawsuit filed under Biden.
Live Nation DoJ lawsuit continues under Trump
In a seven page-ruling Friday, US District Judge Arun Subramanian rejected Live Nation’s bid to throw out the claim that it forces artists to use it as a promoter if they want to perform at company owned venues.
“These allegations aren’t just about a refusal to deal with rival promoters, they are about the coercion of artists,” wrote the Judge. “The Court’s role is to determine whether the complaint states a plausible tying claim, and it does.”
Further signalling the Trump DoJ’s intention to pursue the case, a Justice Department lawyer said during the hearing Thursday that the government wants to begin a trial on whether the company violated the law in March 2026 followed by a separate proceeding on a remedy.
The lawsuit alleging monopolistic practices continues against a backdrop of growing indications that the independent live music sector is struggling in the US and globally.
Bruce Houghton is the Founder and Editor of Hypebot, a Senior Advisor at Bandsintown, a Berklee College Of Music professor and founder of the Skyline Artists Agency
