Technically the company still exists after a merger, but the brand is being put to bed, in favor of ‘Live Nation Entertainment’. But the government approval of the deal – which combines the nation’s two largest live music/entertainment companies into one monopoly-resembling behemoth – didn’t come without conditions:

First, Ticketmaster will have to license a copy of its ticketing software to two companies — Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG) and either Comcast-Spectacor or another “suitable” company — so that both companies can compete “head-to-head” with Ticketmaster for venues’ business. After five years, AEG will have the option of buying the software, replacing it with something else or partnering with another ticketing company…

…In addition to licensing its ticketing software to competitors, Ticketmaster must sell its Paciola ticketing company to either Comcast-Spectacor or another suitable company. According to the DOJ, these moves will recreate the level of competition that existed in the live music marketplace before the merger of Live Nation and Ticketmaster.

To prevent this merged entity from bullying venues into using its service over those of the competition — for example, by withholding (former) Live Nation artists from venues who don’t use (the former) Ticketmaster for ticketing — the settlement dictates  that “the merged firm will be forbidden from retaliating against any venue owner that chooses to use another company’s ticketing services or another company’s promotional services, including restrictions on anti-competitive bundling.”