Live Nation and Ticketmaster Lawsuits: Tracking The Legal Battles

Live Nation and Ticketmaster are facing increased scrutiny and multiple lawsuits that could reshape concert ticketing and the entire live music industry in 2026.

To help track these actions, we created a rundown of every major active case we could currently verify – from the DOJ’s breakup bid to the FTC’s complaint and the consumer class actions — plus the best available read on when each is likely to go to trial.

Why It Matters for Artists, Venues and Fans

What’s happening here isn’t just about courtrooms — it’s about control of live music itself.

If the DOJ gets its way, a forced breakup of Live Nation and Ticketmaster could crack open a system that’s independent venues and promoters argues had been locked down for more than a decade.

The FTC’s case goes after the murky world of “drip pricing” and broker deals, promising long-overdue transparency that might finally allow fans to see what they’re paying for.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court’s refusal to push fan lawsuits into arbitration means everyday concertgoers have a real shot at holding Ticketmaster accountable.

Add growing investor nerves over antitrust risk, and Live Nation suddenly faces pressure from every side including the government, fans, and Wall Street. For artists and venues caught in the middle, the next year could bring the biggest shake-up in the live business since Ticketmaster merged with Live Nation in 2010.

All The Live Nation and Ticketmaster Lawsuits

Big Government Cases

U.S. DOJ + 40 State AGs v. Live Nation / Ticketmaster (SDNY) – The Breakup Case

• What it says: The U.S. Department of Justice and a bipartisan group of 40 state attorneys general allege Live Nation/Ticketmaster illegally monopolized live concerts, ticketing, and amphitheaters — controlling artists, venues, and ticket prices. They seek structural relief that could ultimately force a divestiture of Ticketmaster.
• Filed: May 23, 2024 — case docket.
• Estimated trial start: March 2, 2026, per the DOJ scheduling order (PDF) and Live Nation’s own SEC filing. See coverage from Reuters and Hollywood Reporter.

FTC + 7 State AGs v. Live Nation / Ticketmaster (C.D. Cal.) – The Resale & “Deceptive Pricing” Case

• What it says: The Federal Trade Commission, joined by Virginia, Utah, Florida, Tennessee, Nebraska, Illinois, and Colorado, alleges Ticketmaster turned a blind eye to ticket brokers who bypassed purchase limits and then resold seats on Ticketmaster’s own platform. The FTC also accuses the company of “bait-and-switch” pricing that hides service fees until the last checkout step.
• Filed: September 18, 2025 — see the FTC case page.
• Estimated trial start: Not yet scheduled. The complaint is newly filed, and preliminary motions are ongoing.

Consumer and Fan Class Actions

These cases are separate from the government actions and are mostly brought by fans alleging antitrust and deceptive-fee violations.

Heckman et al. v. Live Nation / Ticketmaster (C.D. Cal.) – Antitrust Class Action

• What it says: Fans allege Ticketmaster’s terms and exclusivity contracts inflate ticket prices and restrain trade. A federal court refused to force arbitration, and the Ninth Circuit upheld that ruling in October 2024. Analysis: Sidley legal update and Reuters commentary.
• Estimated trial start: Not set. Discovery is currently underway.

Madrigal et al. v. Ticketmaster / Live Nation (C.D. Cal.) — “Junk Fees” & Drip Pricing

• What it says: The Madrigal complaint (PDF) claims Ticketmaster misleads consumers by revealing mandatory fees only at the last step of checkout. The court allowed the case to proceed past the motion-to-dismiss stage, according to Law360 and TicketNews.
• Estimated trial start: Not yet scheduled. Early discovery is proceeding.

Jacobson v. Live Nation / Ticketmaster (S.D.N.Y.) — Antitrust Consumer Case

• What it says: Another fan lawsuit challenging alleged monopolistic behavior in the ticketing market. The docket is available on Justia and PACER Monitor.
• Estimated trial start: Not yet set. The court continues to handle arbitration and procedural motions.

Supreme Court Declines to Shield Ticketmaster from Proposed Consumer Suit

• What it says: On October 6, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court declined Live Nation/Ticketmaster’s bid to move a class action over ticket pricing into private arbitration — clearing the way for fans’ claims to proceed in federal court.
• Estimated trial start: Depends on the underlying district case; proceedings continue nationwide.\

Technology Patent Infringement

EChanging Barcode vs Ticketmaster’s SafeTix

• What it says: EChanging Barcode LLC sued Live Nation Entertainment and Ticketmaster in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, alleging infringement of U.S. Patent No. 9,047,715 — which covers rotating encrypted barcodes aimed at preventing screenshot-fraud on mobile tickets. The complaint claims Ticketmaster’s SafeTix platform uses this technology without authorization.
• Estimated trial start: The lawsuit was just filed in late October.

Investor Case (Resolved)

Donley v. Live Nation (C.D. Cal.) – Securities Class Action

• What it said: Shareholders accused Live Nation of misleading investors about its exposure to antitrust risk. The company agreed to a $20 million settlement announced on March 24, 2025.
• Trial: None — the case settled before trial.

Information was compiled from DOJ and FTC filings, court dockets, SEC disclosures, and major outlets including Reuters, Law360, and The Hollywood Reporter and last verified on October 31, 2025.