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NEW YORK (AP) — After a full day of discussions, the jury in the high-profile antitrust trial involving Live Nation Entertainment concluded Friday without reaching a decision. The case, brought by 34 states, accuses the concert behemoth of monopolistic practices through its ticketing division, Ticketmaster, which they claim are inflating ticket prices for live music events.
The plaintiffs argue that Live Nation’s dominance in the market stifles competition and leads to escalated costs for consumers. In contrast, Live Nation maintains that the concert landscape is more competitive than ever, asserting that their business practices are fair and in line with the thriving U.S. concert industry.
Shortly after beginning deliberations, the jury requested to revisit specific testimonies presented during the extensive five-week trial in Manhattan’s federal court. They later sought additional insights from the trial’s music industry experts. The jury will continue their deliberations on Monday.
This legal action by the states persisted even after the federal government reached a settlement with Live Nation last month.
The states carried on with their case after the federal government settled last month.
The Justice Department said it had won important concessions from Live Nation, particularly in the sale of tickets at dozens of the company’s amphitheaters.
A lawyer for the states said in closing arguments on Thursday that Live Nation controls 86% of the market for concerts and 73% of the overall market when sports events are included.
Live Nation’s lawyer said the company isn’t hiding from the fact that it’s the biggest entertainment company and ticketer in the country. But, the lawyer said, “success is not against the antitrust laws in the United States.”