California AG Ready to ‘Take It to the Mat’ with Live Nation/Ticketmaster if Trump’s DOJ Settles

Photo Credit: Claudia Raya

Several state attorneys general vow to press on with the antitrust trial against Live Nation even if the Department of Justice opts to settle.

In the face of concerns that a Trump-allied Department of Justice might decide to settle with Live Nation/Ticketmaster ahead of the federal antitrust trial seeking to break it up, several state attorneys general are prepared to press ahead. That includes California Attorney General Rob Bonta and Connecticut Attorney General William Tong.

“I think we have to explore settlement in good faith, and if it meets our very high standards of what is necessary, pursue it,” California AG Rob Bonta told Bloomberg, adding that if a settlement led to the outcome the states seek, there would be no need to go to trial. “But there’s a high probability that they’ll settle, it’ll be soft, and [the states] won’t get all the relief they should.”

If he doesn’t think a settlement will lead to an adequate outcome, Bonta said he’s willing to “go to the mat and take it to trial.”

Likewise, Connecticut AG William Tong confirmed to Bloomberg that a group of state attorneys general will be meeting later this week to discuss the case without the presence of the federal government.

“Any resolution that is politically motivated or impacted, or any settlement that comes from trying to placate the president or meet his demands, is not likely to fly with Connecticut or California either,” Tong said.

More than three dozen states and the Department of Justice are set to go to trial against Live Nation on March 2. However, concerns have mounted over the past couple of weeks that the company is involved in settlement discussions with the DOJ.

Those concerns have only intensified since the ousting of DOJ antitrust chief Gail Slater, who disagreed with others in the department and the administration as a whole over how to approach antitrust enforcement in the matter. Even more damning, the company has brought in Trump allies like Kellyanne Conway and Mike Davis as part of its settlement discussions.

The states and the Justice Department sued Live Nation/Ticketmaster in 2024 with allegations that the company illegally monopolizes ticketing and live event promotion services. Their lawsuit aims to force the two entities to split, ending their merger of over 15 years.