AG ​Bonta and a bipartisan group of AGs announced their intent to continue with the landmark antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation/Ticketmaster, rejecting the U.S. Department of Justice (U.S. DOJ) settlement of the case days into the much-awaited trial. The states plan to continue the fight to hold the concert giant accountable for harming consumers and the live music industry though its anticompetitive conduct. In 2024, Attorney General Bonta, U.S. DOJ, and a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general filed a lawsuit against Live Nation, the parent company of Ticketmaster, alleging its strong domination over ticketing and concert amphitheater markets has allowed it to engage in a wide variety of anticompetitive behaviors that have harmed artists, their fans, and the venues that support them. The trial in this case started on February 28, and following U.S. DOJ’s settlement announcement today, the coalition asked the Court to declare a mistrial to ensure the states and our residents get a fair trial to hold Live Nation accountable.

“Today, U.S. DOJ has chosen to settle with Live Nation, but a bipartisan group of attorneys general, including California, have chosen to continue this fight and get a better deal for consumers — the deal Americans nationwide deserve. Just in the first week of trial, we’ve already heard that Live Nation fully intended to take advantage of fans — and were able to do so because fans had no other place to go. Live Nation has manipulated the market, made itself untouchable by any competitor, and raked in the cash — not because it is better, but because it has acted illegally and created a monopoly." – AG Bonta