OZZY OSBOURNE Drops Lawsuit Against AEG's "Block Booking" Scam

September 23, 2018, 6 years ago

news ozzy osbourne heavy metal

OZZY OSBOURNE Drops Lawsuit Against AEG's "Block Booking" Scam

Back in March, Ozzy Osbourne filed a lawsuit against AEG, claiming concert agency is "blackmailing" him. The singer alleged that AEG is using a practice called "block-booking" to force him to perform at the Staples Center in Los Angeles against his wishes.

Ozzy had tentatively agreed to perform at London's O2 Arena on February 11th, 2019 as part of his No More Tours 2 farewell run, but he claims that AEG added a provision stating that if Osbourne played an indoor arena within 25 miles of Los Angeles that was promoted by competitor Live Nation during the tour, he would have to play the AEG-owned Staples Center as well.

Variety is reporting now, however, that Ozzy's attorney agreed this past Friday, September 21st to drop the lawsuit against the live-entertainment giant stemming from its block-booking policy, which the company ended last week. The lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice.

"Sharon Osbourne, Ozzy's wife and business manager, publicly complained about having to sign the Staples Center Commitment, but AEG would not relent," the original complaint reads. "Ozzy commences this action (on his own behalf and for all similarly situated artists) to prohibit AEG from enforcing the Staples Center Commitment, an unlawful tying arrangement that unfairly leverages AEG's dominance in greater London to distort and deter competition in greater Los Angeles."

According to the Variety report, after the AEG move was announced, Osbourne attorney Dan Wall told Variety "The lawsuit exists only to remove this block booking requirement, and if that’s gone, there is no further need for litigation"; it was made official on Friday. "Sharon and Ozzy are pleased that there is no longer anything to litigate," Wall said on Saturday.

AEG’s statement on Saturday implicated its chief competitor, Live Nation (which is the promoter of the Osbourne tour), reading in part: "We were fully prepared to see the case through to vindicate our policy, but now that Osbourne has decided to dismiss with prejudice, the case is over. Our policy was an appropriate, lawful and effective competitive response to Irving Azoff’s pressure tactics seeking to force artists into the Forum. If those tactics resurface, we will redeploy our policy as needed. … The suit was a transparent public relations ploy … instigated by Azoff and paid for by MSG and Live Nation. It was hatched on the back of an artist who we believe had no idea what he was biting off."


Featured Video

KINGDOM IN FLAMES – “Black Widow”

KINGDOM IN FLAMES – “Black Widow”

Latest Reviews