Jury Finds Live Nation, Ticketmaster Illegally Monopolized Ticketing; Rose Bowl Concerts Run Through Both Companies

A federal jury in Manhattan on Wednesday found Live Nation Entertainment and its subsidiary Ticketmaster illegally monopolized the U.S. concert ticketing and large amphitheater markets — a verdict with direct implications for Pasadena, where the Beverly Hills-based company promotes Rose Bowl concerts and Ticketmaster sells the tickets.

California was among the 33 states and the District of Columbia that won the verdict against Live Nation. The jury found consumers were overcharged $1.72 per ticket at major concert venues across 22 states and the District of Columbia from May 2020 through 2024, according to the California Attorney General’s office. Live Nation has promoted recent Rose Bowl concerts including Oasis and AC/DC, and the Pasadena City Council approved a six-concert Live Nation deal for the Rose Bowl on Feb. 9 — 21 days before the antitrust trial began.

The nine-member jury deliberated in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York before finding the companies liable on all monopolization counts, according to news accounts and the California Attorney General’s office. The trial ran approximately five to seven weeks, according to news accounts, before U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta said in a statement Wednesday: “This is a historic and resounding victory for artists, fans, and the venues that support them.”

Bonta added: “In the face of dwindling antitrust enforcement by the Trump Administration, this verdict shows just how far states can go to protect our residents from big corporations that are using their power to illegally raise prices and rip-off Americans.”

Live Nation rejected the verdict as final.

“The jury’s verdict is not the last word on this matter,” the company said in a statement. “Pending motions will determine whether the liability and damages rulings stand.”

The Pasadena connection is documented. Live Nation promoted the AC/DC Power Up Tour at the Rose Bowl on April 18, 2025, and two Oasis “Live ’25” shows on Sept. 6 and 7, 2025. Guns N’ Roses is scheduled to perform at the Rose Bowl on Sept. 5, 2026, with Ticketmaster handling sales.

The Feb. 9 City Council action, approved as part of the consent calendar, authorized six Live Nation concerts at the Rose Bowl in April or May 2027. Each concert is projected to generate more than $500,000 in direct revenue for the Rose Bowl Operating Company, according to the staff report.

Judge Subramanian will conduct a separate bench trial to determine remedies, which could include financial damages and orders to divest concert venues or Ticketmaster itself.