According to a report from Billboard, a federal judge has dismissed anĀ antitrust suit filed by an Oregon festival promoter against AEG and CoachellaĀ Thursday, October 4, but declined to rule on several other key elements of the lawsuit, including unfair competition claims.
In a ruling made from the bench, District of Oregon Judge Michael Mosman partially granted AEGās motion to dismiss the lawsuit brought by SoulāD Out Productions, but gave the Oregon promoter leave to refill the lawsuit if they amended their definition of relevant markets, one of the key factors in evaluating an antitrust case.
“Establishing the correct product market is something the courts require with a degree of particularity,ā said Nika Aldrich, who filed the suit against Coachella in April. He further told Billboard that his client had tried to book three acts also performing at the 125,000-person festivalāTank and the Bangas, SZA, and Daniel Caesarāfor their Portland event, but were turned down because of Coachellaās 2018 radius clause.Judge Mosman declined to rule on those counts, and he later issued an order denying a request by Coachella organizers to strike a letter from evidence detailing the festivalās nationwide, five-month radius clause for the festival that takes place over two weekends in Indio, California and attracts 250,000 fans.