Live Nation Inc. said Thursday that will contract with a German company to sell tickets to its shows when its relationship with Ticketmaster ends next year.

The Beverly Hills-based concert promoter and venue operator, which earlier this year announced its break with West Hollywood-based Ticketmaster, said it will begin using CTS Eventim AG’s ticketing software starting Jan. 1, 2009. Financial terms of the agreement weren’t disclosed.

CTS, second only to Ticketmaster in worldwide ticket sales, said the 10-year agreement will increase its market share in Europe and enable it to enter the U.S. CTS said that with the new deal it now expects to nearly double ticket sales from the 60 million it sold last year.

Live Nation said earlier this year that it was not re-upping its contract with IAC/InterActive Corp.’s Ticketmaster in a move to gain more control over the sale of concert tickets, and sell related products and services such as T-shirts and valet parking.

Shares in Live Nation were down 4.3 percent to $13.41 in afternoon trading Thursday on the New York Stock Exchange.