August 31, 2026
Inc. recently published an article featuring Florian Ederer, Allen and Kelli Questrom Professor in Markets, Public Policy & Law, discussing three antitrust lawsuits against four of the largest ski resort companies in the U.S. – Vail Resorts, Alterra Mountain Co., Boyne Resorts, and Powdr.
The lawsuits allege that the companies shared nonpublic information to avoid meaningful competition and maintain higher prices for ski passes and lift tickets. The companies have not been found liable, and the allegations remain untested in court.
Ederer provided expert commentary on the antitrust implications, noting that rising prices alone do not necessarily indicate anticompetitive behavior.
“Similar or rising prices alone tell us very little,” Ederer said. “I would look for exchanges of nonpublic, competitively sensitive information, especially about future prices, followed by unusually synchronized pricing, reduced discounting, or other behavior that is hard to explain through independent decision-making.”
The article also explores the growing dominance of major pass networks like Epic and Ikon and their potential impact on competition and consumer choice.
