Matthew M. Martino

Mr. Martino focuses on a range of complex antitrust disputes, including class actions, appeals and other challenges by private plaintiffs or government agencies that involve allegations of monopolization, price fixing and other restraints of trade; algorithmic pricing; information sharing or benchmarking among competitors; and merger challenges. He also has extensive experience representing clients in government investigations. He regularly counsels clients on compliance with state and federal antitrust laws, including Sections 1 and 2 of the Sherman Act, the Clayton Act, the Robinson-Patman Act and the Federal Trade Commission Act, as well as on issues relating to joint ventures, competitor collaborations, distribution arrangements and the exercise of intellectual property rights.

His deep understanding of how antitrust issues interact with various industries enables him to deliver targeted solutions for clients facing complex antitrust challenges. Mr. Martino represents companies across a wide range of industries, including chemicals, construction materials and equipment, food and agriculture, health care, pharmaceuticals, hospitality, publishing, gaming, real estate and technology.

In addition to his antitrust practice, Mr. Martino is regarded for his work in the sports industry. He represents leagues, teams and sports organizations in litigation and disputes that shape the business of professional and amateur sports. Drawing on his understanding of how leagues and teams operate, Mr. Martino helps clients address legal challenges that intersect with the unique governance structures and commercial dynamics of the sports industry. He has advised on the full range of sports-related disputes, including matters pertaining to antitrust, bankruptcy, torts, intellectual property, governance disputes, league-related matters, licensing, sponsorship, merchandising, broadcasting and other legal issues.

In recognition of his work, Mr. Martino has been ranked by Chambers USA and named one of Lawdragon’s 500 Leading Global Antitrust & Competition Lawyers and 500 Leading Global Entertainment, Sports & Media Lawyers. He has also been honored as a Sports Law Power Player by Sports Business Journal and a Future Star by Benchmark Litigation. Mr. Martino’s antitrust representations include, among others:

• Sunstate Equipment Co. in class actions alleging a price-fixing conspiracy among construction rental equipment companies using a benchmarking service
• International Flavors & Fragrances in direct and indirect purchaser class actions alleging a conspiracy to restrain competition in the fragrance industry
• Amadeus Hospitality, Inc. in securing the dismissal of a class action alleging price-fixing in the luxury hotel market involving Amadeus’ Demand360 product
• Mowi ASA in direct and indirect purchaser class actions alleging price-fixing in the salmon industry
• Flannery Associates LLC, the developer of a new proposed city in Solano County, California, in a lawsuit alleging that landowners unlawfully conspired to raise prices
• Express Scripts and its affiliates in a number of litigations in federal and state court alleging violations of Sections 1 and 2 of the Sherman Act, the RICO statute, and state antitrust and consumer protection laws, as well as in investigations by state attorneys general
• CEMEX in direct and indirect purchaser class actions alleging price-fixing, as well as market and customer allocations
• Activision Blizzard, a video game publisher, in its successful defense against the FTC’s challenge to its acquisition by Microsoft
• Sabre Corporation, a travel technology provider, in its successful defense against the U.S. Department of Justice’s challenge to its proposed acquisition of Farelogix Inc.
• HarperCollins Publishers in an ebooks price-fixing class action litigation
• Pfizer Inc. in a class action alleging monopolization with respect to the drug Neurontin
• Ainsworth Lumber Company in an antitrust class action alleging price-fixing in the oriented strand board industry
• IASIS Healthcare in an antitrust action challenging a series of exclusive contracts

His sports representations include, among others:

• the PGA TOUR in several matters, including securing the dismissal of an antitrust class action alleging collusion with DP World Tour and other entities to unlawfully boycott and restrain competition from LIV Golf
• USA Swimming, Inc. in defending against an antitrust complaint filed by Enhanced US LLC in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, in which Enhanced alleged that USA Swimming conspired to decrease competition by preventing participation in the 2026 Enhanced Games
• the National Hockey League (NHL) in numerous matters, including:
  • lawsuits brought by retired NHL players claiming injuries as a result of concussions and sub-concussive impacts purportedly sustained during their NHL playing careers
  • a consumer class action antitrust litigation challenging the NHL’s broadcasting rules and practices
  • the Chapter 11 cases of Diamond Sports Group LLC and its affiliates
  • antitrust litigation brought by Madison Square Garden challenging a variety of NHL rules and practices
  • its defense against an attempt by the owners of the Phoenix Coyotes to relocate the team, through bankruptcy, over the NHL’s objection
  • multiple litigations successfully defending the NHL Commissioner’s authority to arbitrate disputes among Club owners
• the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) in an arbitration with a broadcaster over an alleged failure to provide sponsorship benefits under a multiyear agreement and allegations that the LPGA’s licensing practices violate anti-competition laws
• the United States Hockey League in a dispute related to league rules
• the NHL and the National Basketball Association (NBA), and their member teams, in:
  • labor disputes and lockouts
  • player and team arbitrations
• the National Football League (NFL) in a federal putative class action alleging tort, contract and RICO claims in connection with the New England Patriots’ alleged videotaping of New York Jets coaches and players during a game at Giants Stadium (“Spygate”)
• the National Collegiate Athletic Association, NBA, NFL, NHL and the Office of the Commissioner of Baseball in their successful suit against the state of New Jersey to prevent the authorization and licensing of gambling on the sports leagues’ events
• the NHL, the NBA, the NFL and their member teams, in:
  • advice and litigation involving relocation, intellectual property rights, contractual issues and other legal matters
  • counseling with respect to a variety of business practices and agreements, including licensing, sponsorship, merchandising, events, new media, telecast rights and season ticket holder agreements

Mr. Martino has published numerous thought leadership pieces on the latest developments in the antitrust space. He co-authored “Private Litigation and Government Rhetoric Signal Increased Legal Head-aches Under the Robinson-Patman Act,” which was recognized as the Best Business Article (Private Enforcement) at Concurrences’ 2025 Antitrust Writing Awards.