Oak View Group (OVG) co-founder and chief executive Tim Leiweke has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges that he conspired to rig the bidding process for the Moody Center arena on the University of Texas at Austin campus. Mr. Lieweke subsequently announced he would step down as CEO, with OVG360 president Chris Granger taking over as chief executive.
The single-count indictment, unveiled Wednesday in the Western District of Texas, accuses Leiweke of violating Section 1 of the Sherman Act by striking a secret 2018 deal with a rival venue-services company—identified in other filings as Legends Hospitality—to guarantee OVG would submit the only qualifying proposal for the project.
Emails cited by prosecutors show Leiweke telling colleagues he wanted the competitor to “back down” and was “more than happy” to offer subcontracts if it declined to bid. Legends ultimately stood aside, OVG won the development contract, and the $375 million, 15,000-seat Moody Center opened in April 2022.
“[Leiweke] rigged a bidding process to benefit his own company and deprived a public university and taxpayers of the benefits of competitive bidding,” said Assistant Attorney General Abigail Slater of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons added that authorities “will do all we can to ensure those who engage in the type of conduct described in this case are held to account.”
Alongside the criminal case, OVG agreed to pay a $15 million penalty and Legends will pay $1.5 million in civil settlements tied to the same conduct. The companies avoided separate charges, but Leiweke, 67, faces up to 10 years in prison and a $1 million fine—amounts that can be doubled based on ill-gotten gains or victim losses—if convicted.
“Mr. Leiweke has done nothing wrong and will vigorously defend himself and his well-deserved reputation for fairness and integrity,” a spokesperson for Mr. Lieweke said in a statement sent to TicketNews Wednesday afternoon. “The Antitrust Division’s allegations are wrong on the law and the facts, and the case should never have been brought.
“The law is clear: vertical, complementary business partnerships, like the one contemplated between OVG and Legends, are legal,” it continued. “These allegations blatantly ignore established legal precedent and seek to criminalize common teaming efforts that are proven to enhance competition and benefit the public. The Moody Center is a perfect example, as it has resulted in substantial and sustained benefits to the University of Texas and the City of Austin.”
The FBI’s New York Field Office and the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General led the probe. Investigators are urging anyone with additional information to contact the Antitrust Division’s tip line at 888-647-3258.
What’s next
- Court appearance: Leiweke’s initial hearing in Austin has not yet been scheduled.
- Potential penalties: The Sherman Act count carries a maximum of 10 years in prison and significant monetary fines, subject to enhancement based on any proven financial harm.
OVG’s Pattern of Alleged Collusion
Allegations of collusion are not new for OVG, which was co-founded by music mega-manager and former Live Nation/Ticketmaster chief Irving Azoff.
In the DOJ’s massive antitrust lawsuit filed in 2024 against the entertainment giant, antitrust authorities allege that OVG chose to deliberately avoid competing with Live Nation, instead colluding with them to avoid conflicting business lines, sometimes at the direction of LNE CEO Michael Rapino.
READ MORE: DOJ Alleges Oak View Group Colluded with Live Nation in Lawsuit
Azoff has also been a key behind-the-scenes player in the massive lobbying effort aimed at codifying Live Nation Entertainment’s “FAIR” Ticketing proposales into law across the country. Organizations directly led by Azoff, his family members, or close business and legal allies, have formed the core of the “Fix The Tix” coalition, which has pushed hard to see event promoters and other operators granted full regulatory control over the entire ticketing industry- primary box office and resale.
FURTHER READING | OVG, Legends Alleged Bid Collusion Probed by DOJ |
EDITORS NOTE: This story was modified after publication to add a statement from Mr. Lieweke, and to correct a reference to the stadium’s financing.
