The UK OFT refers a vertical merger to the Competition Authority based on horizontal concerns (Ticketmaster / Live Nation)

Fountoukakos, Kyriakos

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11 Jun 2009

The UK OFT refers a vertical merger to the Competition Authority based on horizontal concerns (Ticketmaster / Live Nation)

KEYWORDS

Reference

UK OFT, Ticketmaster / Live Nation , Case n° ME/4079/09, 11 June 2009

On 11 June 2009, the Office of Fair Trading ("OFT") announced that it had decided to refer the proposed merger of Ticketmaster Entertainment Inc ("Ticketmaster") and Live Nation Inc ("Live Nation") to the Competition Commission ("CC") for an in-depth investigation. Despite the fact that there is no direct overlap between the parties' activities - Ticketmaster is active as a ticketing agent, whereas Live Nation is a music promoter, which is also active in the operation of music venues - the OFT characterised its principal concern in this case as a "horizontal" one. Factual background Ticketmaster is the UK's largest ticketing agent, selling tickets and providing marketing and distribution services online, via telephone and in retail outlets. Live Nation promotes and produces live

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Author

Kyriakos Fountoukakos
Herbert Smith Freehills (Brussels)

Belgium 106 contributions 67210 visits

Quotation

Kyriakos Fountoukakos, The UK OFT refers a vertical merger to the Competition Authority based on horizontal concerns (Ticketmaster / Live Nation), 11 June 2009, e-Competitions June 2009, Art. N° 28302

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