eBay announced in November it would sell its ticket marketplace StubHub to Viagogo this year. In a February 7th filing (published online today), UK regulators warned eBay to stop any integration activities between the two marketplaces while it continues its investigation on whether to approve the $4.05 billion deal.
eBay had said in November it expected to close the sale by the end of the first quarter of 2020 subject to regulatory approval and customary closing conditions.
In its filing, the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) banned the two firms from taking any action which might “lead to the integration of the Stubhub business with the Viagogo business,” according to UK newspaper City A.M.
The UK’s CMA routinely reviews certain mergers to make a determination if there would be a “substantial lessening of competition in a UK market.” It announced its investigation of the StubHub sale in December and issued the initial enforcement order on Friday. You can follow the investigation on the UK government website.
Note that eBay is also under pressure from activist investors to sell its Classifieds business.
