Louisiana (and Other States) Beats Ticketmaster in Monopoly Lawsuit Verdict

A massive shift? a house of cards coming down? Or justice getting served?

Whatever you want to call it, a landmark legal decision in federal court came down today. A federal jury ruled that the restrictive business practices utilized by Live Nation and Ticketmaster constitute an illegal monopoly. And Louisiana was right in the middle of it.

This ruling delivers a severe blow to the massive corporate entity that has dominated event ticketing and venue management for several decades. The jury findings concluded that the company actively suppressed market competition to maintain an unfair grip over the entire industry.

Louisiana Joined Other States To Reject Settlement Offers

The difficult path to this final verdict required a lengthy legal battle, multiple state governments across the country, and debate over a giant settlement. Several involved states explicitly refused to back down when unexpected settlement negotiations emerged earlier this spring.

Louisiana declined to take part in the settlement that the US Justic Department struck earlier this year, and wanted to pursue something even bigger. They weren't alone, nearly two dozen states maintained their aggressive course to guarantee the antitrust allegations were fully prosecuted.

Future Impact On Event Ticketing And Venue Deals

The immediate impact of this decision probably won't be felt as you go to buy your summer concert tickets for shows in Louisiana or Texas. But the wheels are now in motion to put an end to the unfair practices anyone who has purchased a ticket from Ticketmaster is aware of. The long-standing corporate strategy of locking down independent venues is now legally compromised...forcing a necessary and immediate market correction. Unless there's an appeal of course.

Which there will be...Ticketmaster is pretty evil afterall. Ticketmaster’s attorney, Dan Wall, told The Big Newsletter that they're “disappointed, but there’s a lot more game to play”. Which means there will be an appeal. They will attempt to have the ruling thrown out, or overturned in some way. Who knows, this might end up at the feet of the Supreme Court one day.