JUSTICE DEPARTMENT FILES SUIT AGAINST SPORTS FIRM
FOR FIXING RETAIL PRICE OF HOCKEY SKATES

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Department of Justice today filed a civil antitrust suit against Canstar Sports USA Inc. of Swanton, Vermont, for conspiring with its dealers to fix the retail price of Canstar high performance hockey skates with V2 blades.

At the same time, the Department filed a proposed final judgment that would settle the suit. Both actions were filed in U.S. District Court in Burlington, Vermont.

John W. Clark, Acting Assistant Attorney General in charge of the Antitrust Division, said the complaint alleged that beginning as early as February 1990 and continuing at least through November 1990 the defendant and its co-conspirator retail dealers conspired to fix the price at which the dealers sold Canstar hockey skates with V2 blades.

The complaint seeks injunctive relief to prevent the defendant from directly or indirectly continuing or renewing the conspiracy or from engaging in similar activities in the future. The defendant agreed to the proposed judgment which will become final upon approval by the court and which would enjoin the defendant from directly or indirectly continuing or renewing the kind of conspiracy alleged in the complaint.

"Agreements on resale prices among a manufacturer and its dealers are per se violations of the Sherman Act and it has long been Antitrust Division policy that they will be prosecuted when they are found," Clark said.

In accordance with the Antitrust Procedures and Penalties Act, a competitive impact statement regarding the proposed final judgment was filed with the court. Copies of the statement and proposed final judgment are available upon request in the Antitrust Division's Legal Procedure Unit, Room 3233, 10th and Constitution Avenue, N.W., Department of Justice, Washington, D.C. 20530. They are also available for inspection in the Office of the Clerk of the U.S. District Court in Vermont.

Comments to the Department and to the court regarding the proposed final judgment are invited from members of the public within the 60 day statutory period. Comments should be directed to Ralph T. Giordano, Chief, New York Office, Antitrust Division, Department of Justice, Room 3630, 26 Federal Plaza, New York, New York 10278.

####