President Donald Trump spoke personally with the chief executive of Live Nation in the weeks before the Justice Department abruptly settled its longstanding antitrust lawsuit against the entertainment giant and its Ticketmaster subsidiary, the company revealed in a court filing.
Live Nation lawyers stated in a court filing Monday that Trump and the company’s CEO, Michael Rapino, discussed the antitrust lawsuit in February. The company added that the conversations did not involve “substantive terms” of any potential settlement.
White House lawyers were also involved in numerous communications between the company and the Justice Department during February and March. These communications included in-person meetings, videoconferences, telephone calls and written correspondence, according to the filing.
The Justice Department announced a settlement just days into the March trial. However, most states declined to join the agreement, arguing it was insufficient to address the company’s dominance over concert venues and ticketing for live events through Ticketmaster.
The trial continued, and a jury later concluded that the company operated as a monopoly, leading to higher costs for concertgoers and sports fans. Among other findings, the jury determined that Ticketmaster’s anticompetitive practices resulted in consumers in 22 states paying an average of $1.72 more per ticket. This could lead to a judge ordering the company to issue refunds.
State attorneys general who pursued the lawsuit against Live Nation suggested the verdict could potentially lead to lower ticket prices for consumers.
The federal government's settlement with Live Nation included a cap on service fees at certain amphitheaters and introduced new ticket-selling options for promoters and venues. These provisions potentially allow, but do not require, venues to work with Ticketmaster competitors such as SeatGeek or AXS.
Live Nation released a statement in April, indicating that the jury's verdict was not necessarily the final resolution of the matter.
The White House referred questions regarding Live Nation's disclosure to the Justice Department, which did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The revelation comes amid ongoing criticism that the independence of the Justice Department has been compromised by oversight or interference from the White House and the president.