Lead Lawyer Jeffrey Kessler Talks 'Total Victory'
Rolling Stone • • entertainment
Key Points:
- The Department of Justice began investigating Live Nation and Ticketmaster in 2022, leading to a 2024 antitrust lawsuit alleging monopoly practices, with over 40 states joining the case.
- Jeffrey Kessler, a renowned antitrust lawyer, took over as lead counsel just one week into the trial after the DOJ settled with Live Nation, and he and his team had only eight days to prepare.
- Kessler’s team focused on key evidence, including internal chat logs revealing monopolistic intent and CEO Michael Rapino’s admissions, which helped secure a unanimous jury verdict against Live Nation and Ticketmaster.
- The trial was the first civil government monopolization case to go before a jury, and despite Live Nation’s plans to appeal, the verdict is considered a historic victory that could significantly impact the live entertainment and ticketing industry.
- Kessler praised the jury’s thoroughness and expressed optimism about the case’s potential remedies, which may benefit venues, fans, competitors, and artists by fostering positive industry changes.
