Live Nation Files Motion to Postpone Start of Antitrust Trial

Variety

by Steven J. Horowitz

February 23, 2026

AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary

Live Nation and Ticketmaster have filed a motion to postpone the start of their antitrust trial, which was set to begin next Monday. The companies argue that certain legal questions could “dramatically change” or significantly narrow the scope of the trial if resolved by an appeals court. They are seeking an interlocutory appeal to review two critical legal issues raised by Judge Arun Subramanian in his recent rulings. These include whether the Department of Justice (DOJ) needs evidence of actual price discrimination to prove its claims and whether plaintiffs can proceed with a tying claim without a properly defined market for the tied product. The motion, filed on Sunday and reviewed by Variety, aims to avoid what Live Nation and Ticketmaster describe as a “complex, month-long case” that could ultimately be deemed unnecessary. The companies argue that resolving these legal questions first could save time and resources. Last Wednesday, Subramanian narrowed parts of the DOJ’s antitrust suit but allowed other aspects to proceed, potentially leading to significant changes in how the ticketing industry operates. Live Nation’s top lawyer, Dan Wall, recently published a blog post titled “It’s Time to Move On,” urging the DOJ to settle without forcing Live Nation to sell Ticketmaster. In the post, Wall claimed that there is no evidence linking Live Nation and Ticketmaster to higher concert ticket prices or fees. He also dismissed the idea that breaking up the companies would benefit the industry, calling it “impl

Verticals

entertainmentfilm

Originally published on Variety on 2/23/2026