AEG and SeatGeek have both formally urged a US federal judge to reject the antitrust settlement that would allow Live Nation to keep ownership of Ticketmaster, arguing it fails to fix the anticompetitive practices at the heart of the case. AEG, which competes with Live Nation in promotion, ticketing and venue ownership, wants a court-ordered sale of Ticketmaster and a ban on the long-term exclusive contracts Ticketmaster signs with major venues, while SeatGeek is asking the court to rule that the deal is not in the public interest. The filings matter because they come from Live Nation's direct rivals just as the judge overseeing the case must decide whether the settlement genuinely serves the public interest, following a jury finding in April that Live Nation and Ticketmaster illegally monopolised US ticketing and amphitheatre markets.

AEG's filing, made alongside promoter Louis Messina, argues the settlement "does not break Ticketmaster's grip; it tightens it," claiming venues will keep signing exclusive Ticketmaster deals to avoid losing Live Nation shows, leaving roughly 85% of the market — about 6,500 of 7,500 major venue events a year — unaffected, with only around 170 opened to competitors. Live Nation had settled with the Department of Justice in March, agreeing to divest 13 amphitheatre booking agreements, cap Ticketmaster fees at 15% at its own amphitheatres, set aside $280 million for state damages, and extend its consent decree by eight years, though most states rejected the deal and continued litigating. The public comment period closed on 4 September, with 18 state attorneys general and the Progressive Policy Institute also filing objections; the DOJ must now respond to all submissions before Judge Arun Subramanian rules.