You might think that the man who promoted Taylor Swift‘s Eras Tour, as well as all of her other global outings, would be powerful enough not to feel intimidated by Live Nation and Ticketmaster. Yet Louis Messina wrote in a submission to a federal judge that he, too, is vulnerable to the company wielding its power as part of its alleged monopoly, urging Judge XX to reject a consent decree now under consideration that would let the company stay intact.
“I write this letter because I am concerned that the music industry is broken. If it is not fixed, I could go out of business just like other independent promoters who have fallen victim to Live Nation,” the Messina Touring Group CEO wrote to the judge presiding over the case. “The jury verdict in this case is a step in the right direction and will give the court an opportunity to try to reign in Live Nation’s conduct. But the consent decree is a step backward—it does not fix the industry and likely would make things worse.”
He further suggested that he is speaking up because he has less to lose than other promoters who are in a much more vulnerable position going up against Live Nation. Messina Group’s artists include stadium-fillers like Kenny Chesney, George Strait and Ed Sheeran as well as Phoebe Bridgers, Eric Church, Zac Brown Band and Blake Shelton.
“Most artists, agents, and managers are afraid of speaking out against Live Nation because they could lose everything if Live Nation turns against them. Live Nation already has turned against me,” wrote Messina, CEO of Messina Touring Company, in a statement aligning himself with AEG and alleging he has been discriminated against because of his association with the rival group. He claimed that Live Nation stopped even returning his calls in 2024 and only resumed communicating with him this year.
In the letter, Messina said that he was “trying to route several tours through Live Nation amphitheaters, but Live Nation stopped returning my calls,” Messina wrote. The promoter says being allegedly shut out of Live Nation venues adversely affected his ability to work with several clients, including the Lumineers, Old Dominion and Shawn Mendes, as well as potential client Mumford & Sons, which he says had to use Live Nation as a promoter to get into Live Nation-owned ampthitheaters.
“If Live Nation prohibits artists from using me to promote their amphitheater shows, I cannot compete,” Messina wrote.
“The first problem is Live Nation’s monopoly money. Live Nation does not make its money by promoting tours and helping artists,” Messina wrote. “Instead, Live Nation makes its money from ticketing fees and sponsorships. You can look at their public financial statements. Live Nation makes almost a billion dollars from ticketing fees every year while in many years they make little, if any money in their touring business. What does that mean? It means that Live Nation can throw monopoly money at artists in the form of big guarantees—more money than any other promoter can offer. Live Nation does not even care if a tour loses money because they are making a billion dollars on the massive ticketing fees. As a result, Live Nation has either bought or driven out of business most of the independent promoters in this country.”
Things have gone both for and against Live Nation and Ticketmaster in the legal sphere this year. The federal government’s proposed consent decree looked to keep the company safe from a breakup, but some states who were joining the action refused to join in the settlement, and a jury found Live Nation liable on some of the original antitrust claims.
Wrote Messina, “For many years, I was able to help artists like Taylor Swift and Kenny Chesney develop their careers by promoting tours in Live Nation amphitheaters before they developed the fan base to headline their own tours in larger venues. All artists must start somewhere, and I am right there with the artists when they start. For more than two decades, I have been able to promote artists in Live Nation amphitheaters. It was critical to my artists and to the survival of my business.
“But my artists’ situation was unique. Live Nation blocked other artists from using their amphitheaters unless they also used Live Nation to promote their tour. But my arrangement with Live Nation ended in 2024. I was trying to route several tours through Live Nation amphitheaters, but Live Nation stopped returning my calls. Ultimately none of the artists were able to use the promoter they wanted. For example, Old Dominion was forced to route through other venues and the tour underperformed because they could not play Live Nation amphitheaters. Live Nation agreed to let the Lumineers play in the amphitheaters, but only if I was not involved. Shawn Mendes’ agent also had to negotiate directly with Live Nation because Live Nation was not returning my calls. I was in discussions to promote Mumford & Sons, but the band was forced to use Live Nation because that was the only way they could access Live Nation’s amphitheaters. Similarly, when I spoke with Parker McCollum and his team, their first question was, ‘What about the amphitheaters?’ That question captured my dire situation. If Live Nation prohibits artists from using me to promote their amphitheater shows, I cannot compete. I will not be able to help developing artists build their careers.
“Live Nation began returning my calls again in 2026 after the consent decree was submitted. I do not know whether I will be able to get the dates and terms I need to promote shows at Live Nation amphitheaters. But what I experienced in 2024 drove home how easy it is for Live Nation to destroy my business, like it has destroyed other promoters, and how something needs to change or Live Nation will always be able to hold the industry hostage. The consent decree does not solve the amphitheater problem.”
Variety has reached out to Live Nation for comment on Messina’s letter.
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