U.S. Government Files Major Antitrust Case Against Live Nation Entertainment

The U.S. Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit against Live Nation Entertainment, arguing the company should be broken up into separate businesses. The lawsuit is supported by 29 states and Washington D.C. Live Nation currently controls most of the concert industry, including venues where shows happen, artist representation, ticket sales platforms, and resale markets—essentially controlling the entire process from start to finish. The government is using antitrust laws (specifically the Sherman Act) to pursue this case, which allows for more aggressive remedies like forcing the company to sell off parts of its business. This is a bigger step than previous regulatory actions. The case also references concerns raised when the government originally approved Live Nation's merger with Ticketmaster back in 2010.