Jury finds Ticketmaster and Live Nation operated illegal monopoly

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NEW YORK — Beverly Hills-based Live Nation and its Ticketmaster subsidiary faced a bruising courtroom loss Wednesday after a federal jury found that the company operated a monopoly over concert venues.The verdict by a Manhattan, N.Y., jury came after a five-week trial and caps a closely watched case that could have far reaching effects across the music industry, potentially leading to the breakup of the companies.Ticketmaster is the world’s largest ticket seller for live events, while Live Nation is a dominant force in the concert business.

Hollywood Inc.The time has come.

After years of ticketing scrutiny, the Department of Justice’s antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation started its trial this week.Here’s what’s at stake.The civil case began when the federal government alleged that Live Nation used its clout to engage in a variety of anticompetitive practices, including preventing venues from using multiple ticket sellers.“It is time to hold them accountable,” Jeffrey Kessler, an attorney for the states, said in a closing argument.

He called Live Nation a “monopolistic bully” that drove up prices for ticket buyers.Jurors agreed.They found that Ticketmaster had overcharged consumers by $1.72 for each ticket.

The judge will assess damages later.Live Nation, which owns and operates hundreds of venues, countered that it did not violate U.S.antitrust laws, arguing that artists, sports teams and venues decide prices and ticketing practices.

“Success is not against the antitrust laws in the United States,” Live Nation attorney David Marriott said in his summation.Live Nation said in a statement that the “jury’s verdict is not the last word on this matter,” noting the court had yet to rule on a motion it had filed to challenge its liability in the case.The trial revealed some embarrassing internal communications, including emails from a Live Nation ex...