Oak View agreed to ‘cooperate fully’ with DoJ investigations

Earlier this week news broke that Oak View Group CEO Tim Leiweke was stepping down after being indicted by the US Department of Justice. While not admitting wrongdoing, Oak View agreed to “cooperate fully” with DoJ investigations and pay a fine.

Leiweke allegedly led “a scheme designed to steer the contract for entertainment services at a public university’s arena to his company.” His charges include conspiring with a competitor to get them to pull out of the bidding process for a public arena. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $1 million fine. Leiweke denies the charges.

“a hidden kickback arrangement with a major ticketing company”

The DoJ investigation of Oak View also included an alleged “hidden kickback arrangement with a major ticketing company, where OVG agreed to receive tens of millions in payments in return for promoting that ticketing company’s services to venues OVG managed without disclosing this conflict to venue owners, despite fiduciary duties.”

OVG and Legends Hospitality, another company involved, avoided acharges by paying $15 million and and $1.5 million in penalties respectively.

Oak View Agreed to ‘Cooperate Fully’ With DoJ

Accompanying the settlement is a “Non-Prosecution Agreement” which requires that OVG and Legends cooperate with this and other DoJ antitrust investigations.

According to the agreement: “OVG shall cooperate fully with the Antitrust Division in any and all matters relating to the conduct described in this Agreement… and any other conduct under criminal investigation by the Antitrust Division at any time during the Term.”

Another major DoJ antitrust investigation is its ongoing case against Live Nation and Ticketmaster. That trial is set to begin in March of 2026.

Oak View Group was founded industry legend Irving Azoff and Leiweke in 2015. Now Azoff, who at various times served as CEO of Ticketmaster and Chairman Of Live Nation, could testify at the Live Nation trial.

Leiweke was CEO of top Live Nation competitor AEG prior to co-founding Oak View.

“a roadmap for how the DOJ could approach its case against Live Nation”

“The DOJ’s investigation appears to be digging into what the live events industry has long treated as standard business practices,” artist manager and key live industry observer Randy Nichols tells Hypebot. “This non-prosecution agreement with OVG suggests a roadmap for how the DOJ could approach its case against Live Nation and Ticketmaster. The real question now is whether the practices that have defined the last 40 years of this industry are truly anticompetitive — or simply difficult for newcomers to navigate.”  

Bruce Houghton