LONDON (CelebrityAccess) — UK antitrust regulators Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has provisionally signed off on the proposed acquisition by LN-Gaiety Holdings Limited – a joint venture between Live Nation and Gaiety Investments Unlimited Company – of Irish concert promoter MCD Productions.
According to a statement from the CMA, regulators evaluated if the deal could damage the competitive music environment in Northern Ireland, as Live Nation may have been able to hinder its rivals through its Ticketmaster subsidiary.
However, the CMA investigation, led by an independent group of panel members, provisionally found that Live Nation “would not be expected to have the incentive to harm rival music promoters” through limiting access to Ticketmaster.
The CMA has asked for input from stakeholders on the provisional findings and after November 28th, will evaluate evidence and input before making a final decision by the statutory deadline of January 8, 2020.
