LN-Gaiety’s planned acquisition of Denis Desmond-owned promoter MCD Productions is under investigation by UK regulator CMA, as Irish watchdog continues its case
Sign up for IQ Index
The latest industry news to your inbox.
The Competition and Markets Authority is looking into whether the acquisition of LSE-listed Entertainment One would lessen competition in the UK
By IQ on 21 Nov 2019
eOne-owned Round Room worked on the Broadway production Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark
image © Priest Fontaine
The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority has launched a preliminary investigation into Hasbro’s planned acquisition of London Stock Exchange-listed Entertainment One (eOne).
Hasbro, the US toy/board game giant whose brands include Monopoly, Transformers, My Little Pony, GI Joe and Power Rangers, announced in August it would pay US$4 billion dollars to take control of eOne, the Canada-based TV, film and music company.
Eone’s biggest brand is children’s TV franchise Peppa Pig, though it also has a robust music portfolio, including live production outfit Round Room Entertainment, labels Dualtone, Death Row and Last Gang Records and artist management company People’s Champ.
The CMA says it is considering whether the acquisition would substantially reduce competition “within any market or markets in the United Kingdom for goods or services”.
The competition watchdog is inviting comments on the proposed deal until 5 December, with the deadline for its ‘phase-1’ decision set for 21 January 2020.
Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.