Jury Rules Live Nation Broke Law as Ticketmaster Monopoly

A U.S. jury has found entertainment giant Live Nation illegally maintained a monopoly through its Ticketmaster business. The verdict, delivered Wednesday, states the company violated federal and state antitrust laws. California’s attorney general led the case. After four days of deliberations, the jury agreed Live Nation's practices harmed competition in the music industry. The ruling could reshape the live event business. Possible court-ordered remedies now include breaking up Live Nation and Ticketmaster. This would separate the company that promotes concerts from the one that sells tickets. The case centered on accusations that Live Nation used its control over major venues and tours to stifle rivals. This allegedly limited choices and raised costs for both artists and fans. Live Nation has stated it will challenge the verdict. The court will later decide on specific penalties and changes to the company's operations.