A federal jury's finding that Live Nation Entertainment has maintained an illegal monopoly over major concert venues marks a turning point in a long-running battle over competition in the ticketing industry, Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti said Thursday on Newsmax.
Speaking on "American Agenda," Skrmetti argued the ruling validates years of criticism from regulators who have accused the company, formed by the 2010 merger of Live Nation and Ticketmaster, of stifling competition and harming consumers.
"If you look at what's going on in the ticketing market for the last 30 years, it's been broken," Skrmetti said. "And in 2010, Live Nation merged with Ticketmaster, and it got more broken."
The Justice Department and a coalition of states have long scrutinized the company, which operates both the dominant ticketing platform and a major concert promotion business.
Regulators previously imposed a consent decree designed to curb anti-competitive practices, but Skrmetti said the company repeatedly failed to comply.
"They've been under a consent decree for 16 years. They keep violating it," he said.
The lack of meaningful competition, Skrmetti argued, has led to higher prices and fewer choices for consumers. Without rival firms able to enter or expand in the market, he said, innovation has stagnated and ticket buyers are left with limited options.
"There's not room for competition to happen in this industry, which means you don't get innovation, you don't get price competition for consumers," Skrmetti said.
"So the people who are paying the money get the short end of the stick."
The jury's decision, delivered Wednesday, represents what Skrmetti described as a clear legal acknowledgment of those concerns.
While the ruling does not immediately dismantle Live Nation's business structure, it could pave the way for remedies ranging from stricter oversight to a potential breakup.
The next step will be determining the penalties.Be
yond the hundreds of millions that Live Nation could be ordered to pay, possible sanctions could force the company to sell off some of its venues.
Live Nation owns, controls booking for or has equity in hundreds of venues, and its subsidiary Ticketmaster is the world's largest ticket-seller for live events.
"This verdict is a stake in the ground that shows that this is an illegal monopoly," Skrmetti said. "It proves what we've been saying all along, and it points the direction forward."
Still, Skrmetti cautioned that any meaningful changes to the industry will take time. Legal proceedings and potential appeals could stretch for years, and restructuring a company as large as Live Nation would be complex.
"It's something that's gone on for a long time," he said. "It will take a while to get this figured out."
GET TODAY NEWSMAX+:
NEWSMAX is the fastest-growing cable news channel in America with more than 30 million people watching!
Reuters Institute reports NEWSMAX is one of the top news brands in the U.S.
You need to watch NEWSMAX today.
Get it with great shows from Rob Schmitt, Greta Van Susteren, Greg Kelly, Carl Higbie, Rob Finnerty – and many more!
Find the NEWSMAX channel on your cable system – Go Here Now
BEST OFFER:
Sign up for NEWSMAX+ and get NEWSMAX, our streaming channel NEWSMAX2 and our military channel World at War.
Find hundreds of shows, movies and specials.
Even get Jon Voight's special series and President Trump's comedy programs and much more!
Watch NEWSMAX+ on your smartphone or home TV app.
Watch NEWSMAX anytime, anywhere!
Start your FREE trial now: NewsmaxPlus.com
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.