Louis Messina, the promoter behind Taylor Swift's Eras Tour and other major stadium acts, has submitted a letter to the federal judge overseeing the Live Nation/Ticketmaster antitrust case, urging her to reject a proposed consent decree that would leave the company intact. Messina argues the settlement would be "a step backward" that fails to fix a "broken" industry, warning that he himself risks being driven out of business like other independent promoters who have clashed with Live Nation. His intervention is notable because, despite being one of the industry's most successful promoters, he says he still fears retaliation from a company he accuses of monopolistic practices.

Messina, CEO of Messina Touring Group, whose clients include Kenny Chesney, George Strait, Ed Sheeran and Phoebe Bridgers, alleges Live Nation stopped returning his calls in 2024 over his ties to rival firm AEG, only resuming contact this year, which he says hurt his ability to route tours for acts including the Lumineers, Old Dominion and Shawn Mendes through Live Nation-owned amphitheatres. He contends Live Nation's power stems not from touring profits but from ticketing fees and sponsorships, which he says generate almost a billion dollars annually, allowing it to offer artists guarantees no rival promoter can match and to buy out or squeeze out independents. The case has had mixed developments this year: some states declined to join the proposed settlement, and a jury separately found Live Nation liable on some antitrust claims.