The Department of Justice's Antitrust Division (DOJ) recently indicted Timothy Leiweke – former president of the Denver Nuggets and a long-time executive in the sports and entertainment industry – on charges stemming from an alleged bid-rigging scheme tied to the development of a new $338 million arena at the University of Texas located in Austin. Leiweke is accused of conspiring to benefit his own company and depriving the University of Texas and taxpayers of the benefits of competitive bidding.
The DOJ's Antitrust Division is increasingly focusing on rooting out anticompetitive conduct in various industries, including sports and entertainment. As the government continues to thoroughly inspect potential abuses in high-level commercial arrangements, entities should be prepared for heightened regulatory attention. Abigail Slater, Assistant Attorney General of the Antitrust Division, doesn't intend to stop here, as she stated that "[t]he Antitrust Division and its law enforcement partners will continue to hold executives who cheat to avoid competition accountable."
Key Facts
On July 9, 2025, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Oak View Group LLC (OVG), Leiweke, was indicted for allegedly orchestrating a scheme designed to steer the contract for the new University of Texas arena named the Moody Center to his own company, in violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Act – requiring an open and competitive bidding process. Allegedly, through OVG, which develops and provides a variety of services to live entertainment venues, Leiweke coordinated with a competitor, Legends Hospitality (Legends), to steer the contract for entertainment services at the Moody Center arena project to his company. Specifically, the DOJ alleges that in exchange for Legends agreeing not to bid on the project, OVG agreed to give Legends its subcontracts to manage certain parts of the venue's operations, but according to the DOJ, OVG allegedly backed out of that agreement.
Leiweke's spokesperson denied any wrongdoing and voiced Leiweke's intent to vigorously defend his reputation, describing the charges as unwarranted. The Moody Center, which opened in 2022, was the product of the bid process that began in 2018 and is now at the center of a high-profile criminal antitrust action of the Trump administration.
As a result of the allegations against them, the DOJ announced that both OVG and Legends entered into non-prosecution agreements. OVG agreed to pay a $15 million fine and cooperated fully with investigators. Legends will pay a $1.5 million fine under the company's agreement with the government.
Key Takeaways
The DOJ's investigation into Leiweke and OVG partially grew out of an internal antitrust review of an unrelated acquisition of a competitor by Legends in 2024. Although antitrust enforcers allowed that transaction to proceed, this led to investigators uncovering information that OVG and Legends allegedly coordinated on bids for venue management and entertainment contracts.
OVG's and Legends' payment of fines to resolve the allegations against them demonstrates the DOJ's continued willingness to pursue corporate accountability, even beyond criminal convictions.
The DOJ's criminal charges against Leiweke are part of a broader initiative that was introduced by the Biden administration to investigate anti-competitive conduct in the live music, sports, and entertainment sectors. The Trump administration is continuing these efforts, as demonstrated in the April 9, 2025 Reducing Anti-Competitive Regulatory Barriers Executive Order, to curb anti-competitive conduct and promote competition across the economy — including online platforms and ticketing markets. Companies involved in venue operations, booking, and live events should expect deeper federal scrutiny going forward.
Companies active in high-value contracting should be mindful of antitrust risks that can arise during the due diligence phase. Early legal oversight to ensure compliance with antitrust laws is critical to minimizing exposure in a climate of heightened enforcement.
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