Attorney General Kris Mayes and a coalition of 33 other attorneys general won their lawsuit against Live Nation after a jury found on April 15 that Live Nation and Ticketmaster violated federal and state antitrust laws. The verdict followed a five-week trial in which the jury concluded that the companies eliminated competition, leading to higher costs for fans, artists, and venues across the country.
The outcome is significant because it addresses concerns about monopoly power in the live event industry. Fans have long reported rising ticket prices, while competitors have alleged barriers to entering the market.
“Live Nation and Ticketmaster built a monopoly on the backs of Arizona fans and artists and today, a jury held them accountable. This verdict sends a clear message: no corporation is too big to face justice,” Attorney General Mayes said. “The Trump administration gave up the fight and wanted to let these companies off the hook easily. But we kept fighting for every Arizonan who has been charged too much by this illegal monopoly and we won. This is a major victory for fairness and competitive free markets.”
In May 2024, Attorney General Mayes joined with 40 other states as well as the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) in suing Live Nation over its control of venue ownership, event promotion, and ticketing services through Ticketmaster. During the trial that began March 2, 2026, DOJ reached a settlement with Live Nation; however, Mayes’s coalition rejected it in favor of continuing litigation.
The jury found that Ticketmaster unlawfully maintains its dominance over ticketing at major concert venues while Live Nation holds monopoly power over large amphitheaters used by artists—requiring those who use its venues also use its promotion services—and determined fans were overcharged nationwide.
According to the official website, the Arizona Attorney General’s Office serves as Arizona’s chief legal office with statewide responsibilities for legal and protective services including advocacy on issues such as elder abuse, civil rights violations, unsolved crimes through its cold case unit, fair housing initiatives, accountability measures for social media companies, participation in federal lawsuits supporting residents’ interests statewide.
Kris Mayes is recognized as Arizona’s 27th attorney general—the first mother to hold this position—according to information from her official biography.
With liability established by this verdict, Attorney General Mayes said she will pursue remedies and financial penalties against Live Nation at an upcoming bench trial.
