Statement on DOJ Settlement with Live Nation Entertainment
"American sports fans' worst-case scenario came true: the DOJ caved to political pressure and settled the Live Nation/Ticketmaster lawsuit. Anything less than a structural breakup of the two companies would have been a loss, but this settlement is especially weak. The DOJ had an opportunity to inject much-needed competition into the space, but they let the pitch go by. We hope that the bipartisan group of state AGs will step up to the plate and pick up where the DOJ left off.”
Sports Fans Coalition Statement on the Firing of DOJ Antitrust Chief Gail Slater
Sports Fans Coalition views the abrupt ousting of Assistant Attorney General Gail Slater as deeply troubling especially in light of recent reports that the DOJ is settling with Live Nation/Ticketmaster after the company hired high-powered, politically connected lobbyists, rather than choose to defend themselves in the court of law, as Live Nation’s Executive Vice President, Dan Wall, insinuated they would do when asked under oath by Senator Klobuchar about whether the DOJ’s lawsuit should be resolved based on the law and not by political pressure.
SFC Celebrates 2025 Most Valuable Policymakers
Congratulations Senator Ted Cruz (R TX), Senator Ed Markey (D MA), Representative Pat Ryan (D NY-18), Arizona State Senator Mitzi Epstein (D LD-12), and Arizona State Senator Lauren Kuby (D LD-8) for being named SFC’s 2025 Most Valuable Policymakers!
Don’t Black Out the Caps, YouTube and Hulu!
Washington Capitals fans are staring down the barrel of a potential blackout—and they’re not having it. With hockey season about to fire up, SFC just dropped a public letter to YouTube TV and Hulu and Monumental Sports Network with a crystal-clear message: Cut the corporate drama. Keep the games on.
The Bot Crime Family: Inside Ticketmaster’s Racket
For years, Ticketmaster has played the innocent victim, telling fans and lawmakers that scalpers and bots were the villains behind sky-high ticket prices. Live Nation and its Ticketmaster subsidiary have claimed they’re the victims merely helpless bystanders in a technological arms race. But the FTC’s new lawsuit rips the mask off. This isn’t a victim story. This is a mob story.
The Cardfather: How Fanatics Consolidated Power and Killed a Hobby
For decades, competition defined the card market. Companies like Topps and Panini vied for licenses, which kept prices stable and quality high. But that era ended when Fanatics executed what the complaint describes as a coordinated licensing scheme that monopolized every major sport. Now the industry looks like a bad mafia movie, except Fanatics CEO, Michael Rubin, lacks the charisma of Al Pacino or James Gandolfini.
The SCORE Act Fumbles College-Athlete Rights
College sports are at a turning point. After years of legal fights and long-overdue victories, college-athletes are finally starting to receive recognition and compensation for the value they bring to billion-dollar programs. But just as real progress is being made, Congress is considering a bill that threatens to turn back the clock.