Live Nation's head of corporate and regulatory affairs, Dan Wall, has publicly called for the Department of Justice to settle its antitrust case against the company without requiring the sale of Ticketmaster. In a blog post, Wall argues that recent court rulings weaken the government's position for a breakup. The case heads to trial next month amid ongoing negotiations.
On February 19, Dan Wall, Live Nation's head of corporate and regulatory affairs, published a blog post titled “It’s Time to Move On,” urging the Department of Justice (DOJ) and state attorneys general to settle the antitrust lawsuit without divesting Ticketmaster. The DOJ, along with dozens of state attorneys general, accuses Live Nation of monopolizing the live music industry through practices that allegedly lock venues into exclusive ticketing contracts with Ticketmaster and require artists at Live Nation-owned amphitheaters to use its promotion services.
The previous day, on February 18, a New York federal judge ruled that a trial should proceed next month on those specific allegations. However, the judge dismissed broader DOJ claims, including that Live Nation holds a national monopoly in concert promotion. Wall described this ruling as undermining "any serious argument for breaking up Live Nation and Ticketmaster," noting that it deflates the idea of mutually reinforcing monopolies in promotion and ticketing.
"We understand that any settlement needs to be meaningful for our venue customers, for artists and of course for fans," Wall wrote. He added, "Cases in this posture nearly always settle, and with the prospect of structural relief off the table, that is what should happen in this case now. Live Nation is ready to make that happen with DOJ and any state attorney general committed to realistic, common-sense solutions to the remaining issues."
Wall did not detail potential settlement terms beyond avoiding a Ticketmaster sale. The public appeal is unusual, as settlement talks typically occur privately. Recent reports indicate lobbying efforts by allies of Donald Trump, including Kellyanne Conway and Mike Davis, on Live Nation's behalf, and the departure of DOJ antitrust chief Gail Slater has sparked speculation about a possible lenient deal.
A jury trial is set to begin on March 2 in Manhattan. Even if the federal government reaches a settlement, the case could continue due to claims from participating states.
