Attorney General Dan Rayfield and a coalition of 33 other attorneys general won their lawsuit against Live Nation on April 15, after a jury found that Live Nation and Ticketmaster violated federal and state antitrust laws by eliminating competition in the live event industry. The verdict followed a five-week trial where the jury determined that the companies abused monopoly power, leading to higher costs for fans, artists, and venues across the country.
The case is significant because it addresses concerns about fair competition in the ticketing industry. Fans who purchased concert tickets through Ticketmaster were charged higher prices due to reduced competition, impacting consumers nationwide.
“When a company gets this big, competition dies – and everyday people pay the price,” Attorney General Rayfield said. “Oregonians who bought concert tickets through Ticketmaster were overcharged. When the federal government chose to step back and allow it to happen, Oregon and other states stepped up and took this on because working families deserve to know every company is playing by the same rules. Today’s verdict shows that accountability is still possible.”
In May 2024, Attorney General Rayfield joined with 40 other states and the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) in suing Live Nation. The lawsuit alleged that Live Nation’s control over various aspects of live events—from venue ownership to ticketing services—allowed it to raise costs for both fans and artists while suppressing competitors. During the trial beginning March 2, 2026, DOJ reached a settlement with Live Nation; however, Rayfield’s coalition rejected this settlement in favor of continuing litigation.
The jury found that Ticketmaster unlawfully maintains a monopoly in ticketing services at major concert venues while Live Nation holds monopoly power over large amphitheaters used by artists. It also determined that Live Nation requires artists using its amphitheaters to use its event promotion services—a practice deemed unlawful—and confirmed that fans have been overcharged as a result.
With liability established by the jury’s decision, Attorney General Rayfield and his coalition will next argue for remedies and financial penalties during a separate bench trial.
