The Federal Trade Commission approved two final orders settling charges that ski equipment manufacturers Marker Völkl (International) GmbH and Tecnica Group S.p.A. for many years illegally agreed not to compete for one another’s ski endorsers or employees.
According to the FTC’s May 2014 complaint, starting in 2004, the two companies illegally agreed not to compete with each other to secure endorsements by professional skiers. Specifically, the FTC charged that Marker Völkl agreed not to solicit, recruit, or contact any skier who previously endorsed Tecnica skis, and Tecnica agreed to a similar arrangement with respect to Marker Völkl’s endorsers.
In addition, according to the FTC, in 2007, the companies expanded the scope of their non-compete agreement to cover all of their employees. The purpose was to avoid bidding up the cost of securing endorsements from skiers, as well as the salaries of their employees.
The final orders settling the FTC’s charges [Marker Völkl order | Tecnica Group order] bar each firm from engaging in similar anticompetitive conduct in the future.
The Commission voted 5-0 Wednesday to approve the final order after the public comment period on the orders ended.
