Live Nation reaches a settlement with DOJ in the midst of an antitrust trial

Live Nation has settled with the Department of Justice in a high-profile antitrust case that sought to break up the entertainment giant by separating Ticketmaster. The deal was announced on Monday after a civil trial over monopoly allegations opened in Manhattan last week.

The Justice Department initially sued Live Nation under the Biden administration to split Ticketmaster from the company. Attorneys for the federal government, plus 39 states and the District of Columbia, had pushed to dismantle what they described as an illegal monopoly that drove up ticket prices for fans of live music, sports events, and theater.

The settlement did not terminate the trial, though it did put the proceedings on hold. The surviving plaintiffs — the attorneys general for the states and DC — are so far planning to return to court on Monday to begin presenting their case.

United States, Manhattan

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