Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita commended the latest milestone in ongoing legal action against Live Nation as a major step for consumer protection.
A jury found that the entertainment giant and its ticketing subsidiary operated as a monopoly after a six-week antitrust trial in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. Rokita joined a coalition of 33 states and Washington D.C. in seeking further legal action after the U.S. Department of Justice initially settled the suit March 9.
“By pressing forward with this litigation, we have successfully protected Hoosiers and consumers nationwide from the harms of unchecked monopoly power,” Rokita said in a statement. “This verdict sends a clear message: no company is too big to play by the rules. Live Nation must now provide meaningful relief to fans, artists and venues who have paid the price for its anticompetitive practices.”
For now, the entertainment giant has exclusive rights to Indianapolis’ Old National Centre and Everwise Amphitheater at White River State Park, as well as Ruoff Music Center in Noblesville. The company plans to construct a new 4,000-seat venue across from Gainbridge Fieldhouse, slated for completion in 2027. Live Nation also produces major concerts at Gainbridge Fieldhouse and Lucas Oil Stadium.
The jury found that Live Nation subsidiary, Ticketmaster, overcharged states by about $1.72 per ticket, but that verdict won’t immediately yield lower ticket prices or other penalties. Judge Arun Subramanian will hold a second trial to decide the consequences, which could include breaking up the Live Nation/Ticketmaster monopoly or restructuring the company in other ways.
The justice department initially levied an antitrust suit against Live Nation in 2024, with attorneys general from 39 states and D.C. cosigning. The suit came after long-standing allegations that Live Nation holds a monopoly over the live events industry, specifically thanks to the company’s merger with Ticketmaster in 2010. Exorbitant ticket prices for major touring artists and increasing frustration with the purchasing experience on Ticketmaster, punctuated by the platform’s infamous crash during Taylor Swift’s Eras tour presale, triggered formal action.
In a settlement with the department announced less than a week after the trial began in New York, Live Nation agreed to establish a $280 million fund to settle claims and civil penalties and divest from 13 amphitheaters across the country where it holds exclusive booking rights. No Indiana venues were included in those terms, according to court documents obtained by IndyStar.
Seven states signed off on the settlement while the remaining attorneys general opted for further legal action, arguing that the sanctions weren’t harsh enough and didn’t effectively splinter the Live Nation monopoly. The company controls roughly 70-80% of the live events landscape in the country and owns or has booking rights for more than 460 venues worldwide, according to its annual report. It had $25 billion in revenue at the end of 2025.
Scrutiny against Live Nation has swelled over the past month with the release of Slack messages between employees. Two regional directors of ticketing called customers “so stupid” and discussed “robbing them blind” in exchanges from 2022, which were made public March 11 amid the lawsuit.
Live Nation opponents like the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) lauded the ruling as an important step toward breaking the monopoly. Stephen Parker, the association’s executive director, said he’s hopeful further legal proceedings will clamp Live Nation and Ticketmaster’s operations.
“Today, the jury confirmed what artists, fans, and independent venues have believed for 15 years: Live Nation is an illegal monopoly,” Parker said in a statement. “The consequences should be swift and disruptive to their vertically-integrated market power.”
Live Nation said it plans to appeal the ruling in a statement.
“Live Nation can and will appeal any unfavorable rulings,” the statement reads. “The jury’s verdict is not the last word on this matter.”
Contact IndyStar Pop Culture Reporter Heather Bushman at hbushman@indystar.com. Follow her on X @hmb_1013.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Jury rules Live Nation is a monopoly. Rokita says it sends a ‘clear message’
Reporting by Heather Bushman, Indianapolis Star / Indianapolis Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
