A federal jury yesterday found that Live Nation, the concert giant that owns Ticketmaster, operated as a monopoly in violation of federal and state antitrust laws, ending a closely watched trial in New York that could have far-reaching consequences.
The verdict came after four days of deliberations in which the jury considered a long list of questions it was asked to consider in a complex case that involved weeks of expert testimony.
Judge Arun Subramanian will determine remedies in a separate proceeding. That could include significant divestments by Live Nation, or even a breakup of Live Nation and Ticketmaster — an outcome that the federal government had called for when filing its case almost two years ago.
Live Nation also faces monetary damages as a result of the jury’s verdict in the case, which was brought by 34 states. The jury determined that Ticketmaster had overcharged consumers by $1.72 for each ticket. The judge will next set an overall damages amount based on the jury’s finding.


