Live Nation Calls out DOJ

Live Nation calls on DOJ to settle the Antitrust case stating that this week’s ruling that trimmed back government claims effectively ended any path to dismantling the company. Dan Wall, Executive Vice President of Corporate & Regulatory Affairs for Live Nation, that this case needs to be put to rest of trying to break up the company. With the dismissal of DOJ’s concert promotion market theory, there is no serious argument left and cases in this situation always settle.

Wall’s call comes a week after Gail Slater, the head of DOJ Antitrust, resigned from her position as the department’s leader in the monopoly case. Multiple lawmakers have called for possible interference by Live Nation in hiring key insiders within the orbit of President Donald Trump to help undermine the case. If DOJ settles, multiple Attorney Generals are prepared to take their claims to trial.

Wall’s call for a settlement comes after the mounting lobbying efforts of Live Nations and reported political interference. In the past few months, multiple reports have detailed Live Nation’s outreach to senior Trump-aligned officials outside of the DOJ cases, and report that these cases are attempts to circumvent career antitrust staff as the trial approaches. With the resignation of Gail Slater, lawmakers fear there has been political interference and that it will affect the outcome of the trial.

Whether the case settles or proceeds, one fact remains clear: the narrative that the government’s case has collapsed is not supported by the court’s order.

The trial begins March 2nd.