SDNY COURTHOUSE, March 25 – The United States versus Live Nation trial began
on March 2 with jury selection, before U.S. District Court
for the Southern District of New York Judge Arun
Subramanian. Then after a week of testimony it
went on pause, and the DOJ and now several states
settlement with Live Nation.
On March 16 the trial picked back up, with
NYS' Hatch questioning AEG's Marciano followed by a
grilling cross by Live Nations' Marriott, emphasizing the
size and actions of AEG. Then the states called Live
Nations Bob Roux, who repeatedly said he didn't remember
and couldn't confirm.
On March 17 the states put on Ben Baker,
whose Slack messages about robbing customers blind were
unsealed amid Press requests. Baker called his language
immature; there was no cross. CEO Rapino is due on the
stand on the morning of March 19...
On March 18, a former Ticketmaster technie,
Edward Khoury now of Jump Platforms, on TM's ancient
systems, and a defensive Mike Evans unaware of Rapino's
threats to Abbamondi - expect more on that on March 19.
On March 19 Rapino was on the stand all
day. Kessler landed some blows, about why lawn chairs were
banned (so that Live Nation could charge for them); Rapino
with his own lawyer painted a different picture. It's all
in the thread. Kessler said the states will rest on
Wednesday, March 25.
Late on March 19, Inner City Press
publishes TicketMonster in Court, here
On March 20 there was only one witness,
LN's Colin Lewis who promotes Shakira and Cardi B and Post
Malone. He was about saying AEG would never be in the
Hollywood Bowl. Then after the juror left, LN said its
case will take seven trial days, with April 1 and 2 off
for Passover.
On Sunday March 22 the States' lawyer wrote
in that "Marriott, represented to
the Court that Defendants’ “best estimate†was that they
would put on a case for 7 trial days, Defendants disclosed
a list of 29 live witnesses and 19 witnesses via
designation. This is pure gamesmanship aimed at impeding
Plaintiffs’ ability to prepare for trial" - full filing on
Patreon here.
On Monday March 23 expert Doctor Hill was on the stand, with Live Nation's Marriott asking him couldn't there be reasons other than retaliation for artists to have declined to play the Barclays Center while its ticketing with with SeatGeek?
Amid reports of a meeting
in the White House on March 5, Judge Subramanian set a
March 27 deadline for a letter about the Tunney Act
process. How deep might he dig?
On March 24 after a night
of unacted-on sealing requests and Bryan Perez of AXS,
the states' damages expert Rosa Abranes-Metz was on the
stand for the rest of the day, and into the next. She
calculated what she said was each fan's loss per ticket
but...
After midnight on March 24-25, Live Nation filed two letters requesting sealing. Inner City Press filed opposition at 1:47 am, here. Midday on March 25 Judge Subramanian asked if anyone from Inner City Press was in the courtroom. Later, after live tweeting the jocular testimony of Mark Yovich of Ticketmaster, Inner City Press was ready to argue. Judge Subramanian said, Mr. Lee, I see you here, I have read your letter, we will address it." Watch this site.
More on X for Subscribers here
and Substack here
March 24 more on X for
Subscribers here
and Substack here
March 23 more on X for Subscribers here
and Substack here
March 20 more on X for Subscribers here
and Substack here.
March 19 more on that on X for Subscriber here
and Substack here
March 18 extra on "war room(s)" on X for
Subscribers here
and Substack here
On March 5, Judge
Subramanian granted Inner City Press first motion to
unseal, here
On March 6, Inner City
Press was in the courtroom at 8:30 am, and spoke to push
for further unsealing, including of demonstratives. See
new book, "TicketMonster: US v Live Nation 1," ebook,
audiobook and paperback here.
On March 9, amid news of a
US settlement, Inner City Press filed a second request
to unseal, here.
Then it ran in and live tweeted Judge Subramanian
questioning the settlement, summoning Rapino in on March
10. At 4:20 pm the US - which says Live Nation is
selling off things it is divesting - filed its term
sheet, which we are putting on DocumentCloud here
At 11 pm on March 9, Live
Nation opposed Inner City Press' motion to unseal, here.
Before midnight, Inner City Press replied, here.
Near midnight on March 11, some documents were unsealed,
and Inner City Press tweeted-out photos and links to
CourtListener.
More from March 10 on X
for Subscribers here
and Substack here
Back on March 4 Inner City Press did a vlog,
after filing to unseal, full letter
on DocumentCloud here
On March 5, greanted.
More March 2 details, and the names, on X for Subscribers
here
and Substack here
On March 3, three opening statements -
David Dahlquist out of Chicago for the US, Jonathan Hatch
for NY and the other states, and Latham's Marriott for
Live Nation. The first witness was supposed to take the
stand after that, but Judge Subramanian cited technical
issues and sent the jurors home.
More March 3 detailing including on
upcoming witnesses on X for Subscribers here
and Substack here
The case is United States of America et al v. Live Nation Entertainment, Inc. et al., 24-cv-3973 (Subramanian)
