State Attorneys General Vow to Press Forward With Trial in Live Nation Case if DOJ Settles

UPDATE: This article was updated on Thursday, January 19 to reflect the latest commentary regarding the trial by New York and New Jersey attorneys general.

Live Nation and Ticketmaster are facing an antitrust suit this March, brought forth by the U.S. Department of Justice and more than 30 state attorneys general, though if the DOJ settles, several AGs said they would still move forward with a trial.

California AG Rob Bonta told Bloomberg that “I think we have to explore settlement in good faith, and if it meets our very high standards of what is necessary, pursue it.”

“But there’s a high probability that they’ll settle, it’ll be soft, and they won’t get all the relief they should,” Bonta told the publication, noting that if this happens, he’s willing to “go to the mat and take it to trial” if the settlement doesn’t seem fair enough.

Connecticut AG William Tong has a similar outlook; he told Bloomberg that several state attorneys general plan to meet this week to discuss a case without the federal government’s involvement.

“Any resolution that is politically motivated or impacted, or any settlement that comes from trying to placate the president or meet his demands is not likely to fly with Connecticut or California either,” Tong said.

New York and New Jersey attorneys general followed suit. New York AG Letitia James noted that “after years of monopolizing the live event industry and overcharging fans, a court has ruled that our lawsuit will go to trial.”

“I’ll keep fighting to deliver justice to fans, artists, and venues across the country,” James said.

Acting New Jersey AG Jennifer Davenport said in a post on X that “for years, Live Nation and Ticketmaster have stifled competition and harmed consumers.”

“Now a court has ruled that our lawsuit can go to trial,” Davenport said. “I’m proud to continue fighting for NJ consumers in court.”

Earlier this year, Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti said states are prepared to continue pursuing the lawsuit even if the DOJ were to withdraw, underscoring growing state-level determination to challenge what critics describe as decades of anti-competitive behavior in the live events and ticketing industries.

“This has been an ongoing problem for decades, and it’s time for it to be solved,” Kaki Carrigan, Chief Communications Officer & Deputy Chief of Staff, said in a statement provided to TicketNews. “If the DOJ should drop out of the case, that is obviously the federal government’s prerogative, but it would not make the problems go away. Many states are committed to finding a lasting resolution for the benefit of their consumers.”

TicketNews has reached out to multiple states’ attorneys general to ask if they plan to purse the case if it does not go to trial, though did not receive a response as of publication time.

The comments come as speculation continues to swirl around the future of the DOJ’s case against the pair, filed in 2024. The suit alleges that the Live Nation and Ticketmaster illegally maintain monopolistic control over concert promotion, venue operations, and primary ticketing, stifling competition and inflating costs for artists, venues, and fans.

Since its filing, more than a dozen additional states have signed onto the case, broadening its scope and reinforcing bipartisan frustration with the ticketing giant’s market power. State attorneys general have repeatedly emphasized that consumer harm — from high service fees to limited ticketing choices — has persisted despite years of public scrutiny and congressional hearings.

The DOJ’s antitrust case has also been in headlines as of late following the abrupt departure of former Assistant Attorney General for Antitrust Gail Slater — a shakeup that landed just weeks before the case is expected to go to trial.

In a letter dated Feb. 14, Sens. Amy Klobuchar, Richard Durbin, Elizabeth Warren, Richard Blumenthal, Peter Welch, Adam Schiff, and Mazie Hirono said Slater’s forced resignation raises “significant concerns” about whether the Trump administration will “see through” major antitrust cases — with the Live Nation-Ticketmaster trial singled out as a flashpoint. 

The National Consumer League (NCL) and National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) have made it clear that regardless of what happens inside DOJ, state attorneys general should continue pressing the case forward.

The trial is slated for March 2.