EU Pauses Antitrust Review of Liberty Media’s $3.7 Billion Acquisition of Dorna Sports

The European Commission has temporarily suspended its investigation into Liberty Media’s 3.5-billion-euro ($3.7 billion) acquisition of Dorna Sports, according to Reuters. The move comes as regulators await additional information from the involved companies.

The investigation, which was launched in December, raised concerns that the proposed deal could lead to higher prices for broadcasting rights for motorsports events, which are jointly managed by both Liberty Media and Dorna Sports. Furthermore, regulators are examining the potential influence of John Malone, the largest shareholder of Liberty Media and U.S. cable company Liberty Global.

They are particularly focused on whether Malone’s stake could enable Liberty Media to exclude competing broadcasters in markets such as Belgium, Ireland, and the Netherlands, where Liberty Global holds significant presence.

Read more: EU Probes Liberty Media’s $3.8 Billion MotoGP Acquisition

The European Commission had initially set a June 30 deadline for concluding the review but confirmed last Friday that it had paused the investigation. A spokesperson from the Commission noted that “the ‘clock’ in merger investigations can be suspended if the parties fail to provide, in a timely fashion, an important piece of information that the Commission has requested from them within a prescribed deadline.”

As the investigation continues, the companies involved will need to submit the requested details in order for the review process to move forward.

Related: Reuters