According to Amplify, lawyers for Ozzy Osbourne have responded to AEG’s motion to dismiss his anti-trust claims saying it’s “baseless on the facts and the law alike.” Osbourne originally filed an anti-trust lawsuit against AEG for “blackmail,” due to the company trying to use block-booking practices to get him to play at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

The singer was supposed perform at the AEG owned O2 Arena in London on February 11, 2019, and as part of the deal AEG tried to say that if he had a Live Nation promoted indoor concert within 25 miles of Los Angeles, he would also have to play the AEG owned Staples Center. Osbourne feels this is a violation of the antitrust laws, which are supposed to stop businesses from getting a stranglehold on customers.
In AEG’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit, they said Osbourne could not claim anti-trust injury due to the policy tying the promoter to the agreement rather than the artist. Attorney Daniel Wall has submitted a rebuttal saying the company is misleading the court and that they are aware that their policy makes artists play the Los Angeles venue whether they want to or not. Wall said the following in his rebuttal:
“Factually, AEG misrepresents its own practices with respect to the tying requirement it enforces, The formal venue hire agreement for the O2 referenced in the Staples Center Commitment unambiguously requires the promoter to ensure that the artist plays Staples when in Los Angeles.”
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