Antitrust law begins with a straightforward question: what alternatives do consumers actually have?
That question becomes much harder—and sometimes misleading—when applied to platforms.
In this episode, we introduce a new framework for understanding platform market definition. Not all platforms operate the same way, and treating them as if they do leads to flawed analysis and bad outcomes.
We break platforms into three distinct types:
Transactional platforms—where both sides meet in a single exchange
Non-transactional platforms—where interactions happen over time
Regulatory platforms—where the platform controls who gets to compete
Using real-world examples—including sports leagues and the NASL case—we show why existing antitrust tools often fail and what a better approach might look like.
This is the first piece in a series developing a new framework for platform economics and market definition.
Read the full article and the graphic analysis.
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