SDNY COURTHOUSE, April 20 – 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 several states settled with
Live Nation.
Inner City Press submitted
Freedom of Information Act or public records requests to
more than 30 states, those that settled at that time and
those that did not, see below.
On March 16 the trial picked back up, with
NYS' Hatch questioning AEG's Marciano followed by a
grilling cross by Live Nation's Marriott, emphasizing the
size and actions of AEG. Then the states called Live
Nation's Bob Roux, who repeatedly said he didn't remember
and couldn't confirm.
Late on March 19, Inner City Press
published TicketMonster in Court, here
On April 15, the jury found Live Nation to
be a monopolist, verdict form here.
Inner City Press immediately published "Ticketmaster Loses
the Jury: Live Nation Death Sentence?" Ebook here,
audiobook and paperback coming.
On the records
requests, the office of Ohio AG Dave Yost, more than
three weeks after the request, wrote:
"Dear Matthew,
Thank you for contacting the Ohio Attorney General's
Office to file a Public Records Request on are involvement
in the Live Nation/Ticketmaster Litigation.
For your information, only the U.S. Department of
Justice and Live Nation/Ticketmaster reached a
settlement on March 9 to resolve the Department of
Justice’s lawsuit. At this time, Ohio is not part of any
settlement with Live Nation/Ticketmaster. If
I can be of any additional assistance to you in this
matter, please do not hesitate to contact
me. Very respectfully
yours, Howard
Feldstein, Office of Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost"
Inner City Press
immediately replied:
" Dear Mr. Feldstein [or
should I call you Howard?]
Thanks, but... Inner
City Press' Public Records Act request was and is not
premised on Ohio being one of the states that, along
with DOJ, settled early with Live Nation. In fact, many
of the most active states in the SDNY trial I have been
covering have already responded to our simultaneous FOIA
requests. So, to be clear: we
want the records we've requested, and note that the Act
states that "all public records responsive to the
request shall be promptly prepared and made available."
So please, ensure the provision of the requested records
asap - we will be reporting on the states' (including
Ohio's) soon due court filings in SDNY, and the Tunney
Act process, and need these records for our continued
reporting. "
Watch this site.
March 18 extra on "war room(s)" on X for
Subscribers here
and Substack 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)
