(File Photo of a Gavel)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Harrisburg, PA) Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday recently announced that a federal jury has returned a verdict against Live Nation Entertainment, Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Ticketmaster, LLC., regarding monopolistic practices that violated antitrust laws. Sunday and a coalition of states continued to pursue the lawsuit, despite a recent settlement agreement between the companies and the U.S. Department of Justice, which was an agreement the coalition believed fell short of being a fair remedy for consumers. In 2024, 40 attorneys general joined the federal agency in an antitrust lawsuit, alleging that Live Nation, the owner and operator of numerous venues nationwide, including Pennsylvania — and Ticketmaster, the ticketing service giant, form an illegal monopoly over the live entertainment industry. The jury found the companies liable on all monopolization counts and awarded damages to the states. The federal judge who oversaw the trial will determine remedies for the illegal conduct at a separate proceeding on a later date.