AG Mayes and Coalition Win Trial Against Live Nation, Jury Finds Antitrust Violations

Attorney General Mayes and Coalition of States Win Trial Against Live Nation and Ticketmaster

Wednesday, April 15, 2026

PHOENIX – Attorney General Kris Mayes and a coalition of 33 other attorneys general today won their lawsuit against Live Nation after a jury found that Live Nation and Ticketmaster violated federal and state antitrust laws by eliminating competition and driving up costs for fans, artists, and venues across the country.

After a five-week trial, the jury found that Attorney General Mayes and the coalition successfully proved that Live Nation and Ticketmaster have unlawfully maintained and abused their monopoly power that prevents other ticketing services, venue owners, and concert promoters from successfully competing. As a result, fans are charged higher prices for tickets.

"Live Nation and Ticketmaster built a monopoly on the backs of Arizona fans and artists and today, a jury held them accountable. This verdict sends a clear message: no corporation is too big to face justice," said Attorney General Mayes. "The Trump administration gave up the fight and wanted to let these companies off the hook easily. But we kept fighting for every Arizonan who has been charged too much by this illegal monopoly and we won. This is a major victory for fairness and competitive free markets."
In May 2024, Attorney General Mayes, a coalition of 40 other states, and the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) sued Live Nation, alleging that its control over almost every aspect of the live event business — from venue ownership to event promotion to ticketing services through Ticketmaster — allowed it to raise costs for both fans and artists and to suppress competition. During the trial that began on March 2, 2026, DOJ reached a settlement with Live Nation, which Attorney General Mayes and the coalition of 33 states rejected, choosing to continue litigation.

The jury today found Live Nation and Ticketmaster liable for violating federal and state laws by engaging in anticompetitive conduct. The jury found that Ticketmaster unlawfully maintains a monopoly in the market for ticketing services at major concert venues. The jury also found that Live Nation has a monopoly in the market for large amphitheaters used by artists and that Live Nation unlawfully requires artists who use the amphitheaters it owns to also use its event promotion services. In addition, the jury determined that fans have been overcharged for concert tickets at major concert venues across the country.

Having successfully proven their case on liability to the jury, Attorney General Mayes and the coalition will argue for remedies and financial penalties at a separate bench trial.

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