Judge tosses lawsuit over Rosh Hashanah concert ticket sales in Ticketmaster discrimination case
NEWARK, NJ – A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by an Orthodox Jewish man who claimed he was discriminated against when tickets for the upcoming Oasis reunion concerts went on sale during the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah.
Henry Goodelman, the plaintiff, argued that Ticketmaster and New Meadowlands Stadium Co., along with other parties involved in the concert’s promotion, violated civil rights and anti-discrimination laws by scheduling ticket sales on October 3 and 4, dates coinciding with a holiday that prohibits Orthodox Jews from using electricity or engaging in commerce.
The concerts are scheduled for August 31 and September 1 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford.
Goodelman filed suit in New Jersey Superior Court in November, but that court denied his emergency motion, citing a lack of evidence of immediate or irreparable harm. The case was later removed to federal court, where Goodelman filed an amended complaint in June alleging violations under Title II of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (NJLAD).
On Thursday, U.S. District Judge Claire C. Cecchi granted motions to dismiss filed by Ticketmaster and New Meadowlands Stadium Co., ruling that Goodelman failed to present enough factual support for his claims and did not meet the necessary procedural requirements under Title II.
In her opinion, Judge Cecchi noted that under federal law, plaintiffs must first notify a relevant state or local government agency and allow 30 days to pass before pursuing a federal lawsuit under Title II. Goodelman did not meet that condition, and the court determined that his claims also lacked the specificity and comparative evidence required to show religious discrimination under the statute.
In addition to dismissing the main claims, the court also denied Goodelman’s motion for a preliminary injunction, which sought to pause the ticket sales process, and rejected his requests to file additional briefs and motions for partial summary judgment.
Ticketmaster had also clarified in filings that it was improperly named as Live Nation Entertainment, Inc., and the court acknowledged the error in its opinion.
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Key Points
- Judge dismissed discrimination lawsuit over Oasis ticket sales during Rosh Hashanah
- Plaintiff claimed Orthodox Jews were excluded from participating due to religious observance
- Court ruled claims lacked procedural compliance and sufficient factual support
The court ruled that a missed holiday ticket sale isn’t enough to prove discrimination in a federal courtroom.