The Department of Justice has expanded its antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation with 10 additional states joining the legal action, bringing the total to 40 states plus Washington, D.C. The amended complaint now spans 167 pages, up from the original 128 pages filed in May 2024.

The new state plaintiffs include Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Mexico, South Dakota, Utah, and Vermont. The expanded lawsuit builds upon previous allegations of anticompetitive practices following the 2010 Live Nation-Ticketmaster merger.

Key additions to the amended complaint include:

• More detailed analysis of Live Nation's relationship with Oak View Group
• Further scrutiny of Ticketmaster's digital ticket features and their competitive impact
• Enhanced documentation of alleged consumer harm through non-negotiable fees
• Additional visual evidence and details about business agreements (partially redacted)

Live Nation has responded to the amended complaint, stating that it contains "nothing new" and won't address core fan concerns about ticket prices, service fees, and show access. Despite the legal challenges, Live Nation's stock (NYSE: LYV) remains strong, trading at $96.53 per share—up 1.4% daily and 15% year-over-year.

The lawsuit's future remains uncertain, with some speculation about potential changes under different political administrations. Meanwhile, Live Nation continues to show strong financial performance, as indicated by their Q3 2024 earnings release.

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