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DOJ names monitoring trustee for Live Nation’s consent decree

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has named the monitoring trustee responsible for keeping Live Nation and Ticketmaster in check with their extended consent decree.

Kirkland & Ellis LLP partner Mark Filip leads the law firm’s government enforcement defence and internal investigations group, and serves as a member of its worldwide management committee.

As part of the recent merger deal modification concerning Live Nation and Ticketmaster, a Federal Court set the procedure for the naming of an Independent Monitoring Trustee, which the DOJ states will make enforcement of the decree for the extended time period “more efficient”.

In January the Federal Court entered an Amended Final Judgement to extend the consent decree between the two entertainment giants to 2025.

The original consent decree, which was set to expire this year, allowed Live Nation and Ticketmaster to combine but required them to follow a set of conditions designed to keep consumer prices in check by preserving competition in the industry. One of those conditions included prohibiting Live Nation from “retaliating” against venues for not using Ticketmaster, or threatening venues.

The court allowed Live Nation and Ticketmaster to continue to operate despite testimony from the DOJ, which claimed the live entertainment giant “repeatedly” broke the decree. It presented evidence it claims demonstrates that Live Nation threatened at least six venues.

Image: Illinois Alumni