The United States Department of Justice's antitrust case against Live Nation is scheduled to begin jury trials on March 2, 2026, according to a recent scheduling order by US District Court Judge Arun Subramanian.

The lawsuit, joined by the District of Columbia and multiple state attorneys-general, alleges that Live Nation has abused its market dominance in several ways:

• Monopolistic control over the live events industry
• Increased fees for fans
• Reduced opportunities for artists
• Squeezing out smaller promoters
• Limiting venue choices for ticketing services

Key allegations include:

• Anticompetitive coordination with Oak View Group
• Blocking TEG's expansion into the US market
• Threatening venues that don't use Ticketmaster with loss of top tours
• Denying venue access to artists who don't use Live Nation as promoter

The case timeline includes:

• July 19: Deadline for motions to change venue
• July 25: Discovery process begins
• October 30, 2025: Discovery completion deadline
• March 2, 2026: Tentative trial start date

While Live Nation denies all allegations, they're pushing to move the case to Washington, DC, citing the 2010 consent decree jurisdiction. However, Judge Subramanian has indicated preference for keeping the case in the Southern District of New York, though will consider contrary motions.

Related Articles

Previous Articles