LOS ANGELES (CelebrityAccess MediaWire) — It's My Amphitheater Inc.(IMA) is attempting to drag William Morris Endeavor Entertainment (WME) into its ongoing legal battle with Live Nation and is asking a California judge to compel the agency to turn over thousands of documents that IMA says will show that Live Nation has been coercing artists to not play at certain venues.
According to a story in The Hollywood Reporter, IMA has subpoenaed fifteen different categories of documents from WME, including anything that might be related to negotiation of contracts, agreements or understandings with Live Nation over the promotion, production of sponsorship of performances for WME clients on a tour or block-booking.
One example IMA cited was claiming that they heard WME agent Marc Geiger, who allegedly told IMA that his client Nine Inch Nails couldn't perform at the Merriweather Post Pavilion, which IMA controls, because the band had received "monetary concessions" from Live Nation. According to IMA, Live Nation allegedly wields its broad network of venues to threaten to limit touring potential for non-cooperative artists
WME has objected to the subpoena as overly broad and a violation of the agency's attorney-client privilege. WME also maintains that the requested documents contain sensitive information which, if released, could impair their business. Additionally, WME claims the cost of releasing the documents is prohibitive and estimates the cost of complying with the subpoena at more than $3 million, the Hollywood Reporter said.
All told, the documentation requested would cover approximately 30,000 different appearances by WME artists. Ari Emanuel, who heads up WME, also sits on Live Nation's board of directors.
Seth Hurwitz' IMA originally filed the lawsuit in March 2009, shortly after Live Nation announced their intent to merge with ticketing giant Ticketmaster. Hurwitz has been a vocal critic of Live Nation and sparred with the promoter most notably over the Fillmore under development in Silver Spring Maryland. – CelebrityAccess Staff Writers
