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Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday says his office will continue pursuing its antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation Entertainment and its subsidiary Ticketmaster, rejecting a federal settlement that more than two dozen other states also declined to accept.
According to Local 21 News, Sunday announced Monday (March 9) that Pennsylvania would remain part of a growing bipartisan coalition of states pressing forward with legal action against Live Nation, calling the federal deal "far short of protecting consumers."
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced Sunday (March 9) that it had tentatively settled its antitrust case against Live Nation and Ticketmaster. Under the deal, Live Nation would pay up to $280 million, sell off at least 13 amphitheaters nationwide, and open parts of its ticketing platform to rival companies. At least 10 states were expected to join the federal agreement.
But a coalition of 28 states — including Pennsylvania — refused to sign on. As reported by PBS NewsHour, New York Attorney General Letitia James called the deal a failure, saying it "fails to address the monopoly at the center of this case."
"My attorney general colleagues and I have a strong case against Live Nation, and we will continue our lawsuit to protect consumers and restore fair competition to the live entertainment industry," James said.
Sunday echoed that position. "For too long, Ticketmaster has leveraged its monopoly to drive up prices and fees while limiting choices for fans, artists, and venues," Sunday said in a press release. "While the federal government has chosen to settle, Pennsylvania and our partner states are committed to continuing this case to hold Ticketmaster accountable and restore competition to the entertainment marketplace."
The lawsuit, which was first brought under President Joe Biden's administration in 2024, accuses Live Nation of using threats, long-term contracts, and retaliatory tactics to control virtually every corner of the live entertainment industry — from concert promotion to ticket sales. The states argue the company used these practices to block venues from choosing rival ticket sellers and to squeeze out competition.
Live Nation has pushed back on those claims, insisting that artists and sports teams set their own ticket prices and control how tickets are sold. In a statement, Live Nation president and CEO Michael Rapino said the company was pleased with the federal settlement. "We have never relied on exclusivity to drive our ticketing business," Rapino said. "It has simply been the result of having the best products, services, and people in the industry."
Not everyone agreed. Stephen Parker, executive director of the National Independent Venue Association, said the $280 million fine amounted to roughly four days of Live Nation's 2025 revenue. "They could potentially make it back by this Friday," Parker told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. He called the settlement "a failure of the justice system," saying it lacked "specific and explicit protections for fans, artists, or independent venues and festivals."
The trial, which was already underway in Manhattan federal court, hit a snag Monday (March 9) when Judge Arun Subramanian expressed frustration that no one had told him about the tentative deal until late Sunday — even though a term sheet had been signed the previous Thursday. The judge called the lack of notice "entirely unacceptable." A motion for mistrial was submitted by attorneys representing the continuing state coalition, and the judge told jurors the trial was expected to resume the following week.
Pennsylvania is joined in the continuing lawsuit by Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming, and the District of Columbia.
The states are asking the court to order Live Nation to divest from Ticketmaster entirely, along with financial compensation for customers who paid inflated ticket prices. Ticketmaster, founded in 1976, merged with Live Nation in 2010 and has since grown into the world's largest ticket seller for live music, sports, theater, and more.
Further court proceedings are scheduled for this week.