Ticketmaster keeps $7.58 from every ticket sold, lawyer alleges

Ticketmaster keeps an average of $7.58 from the price of each ticket for events at major concert venues. A New York state attorney told the jury in a trial on Tuesday, where dozens of states are seeking damages for fans.

Ticketmaster and its parent company, Live Nation, are accused of abusing their market power to support illegal monopolies in the concert industry.

The trial in Manhattan could result in the Department of Justice seeking the separation of Live Nation and Ticketmaster. The companies paying compensation to ticket buyers.

Justice Department and attorneys general from New York and 38 other states, plus Washington, D.C., claim that the entertainment conglomerate dominated live event markets in ways that harmed artists, venues, and fans.

Live Nation’s lawyer, David Marriott, explained to the jury that Ticketmaster keeps around 5% of what fans pay for tickets. The company is not a monopoly and faces fierce competition across the industry, he said.

“Every customer we get is a hard-fought battle in a competitive market,” he added.

The Department of Justice alleges in the case filed in 2024 that Live Nation has illegal monopolies in certain venues and ticket markets.

Live Nation is accused of requiring artists to use its concert promotion services if they perform at outdoor amphitheaters it owns.

The Department of Justice also alleges that the company’s Ticketmaster division dominated ticket sales services through threats and multi-year exclusive contracts with major concert venues.