Opinion ID: 693413
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Control of Molson

Text: 26 Coors's least developed and most novel claim is that Miller's control over Molson will have an anti-competitive effect on the United States and North American beer markets. Coors argues that Miller holds a seat on Molson's board of directors, that Molson's bylaws require a unanimous vote of all directors, and that Miller may thus be in a position to control the distribution of Coors products. This claim presents the most difficult question because Coors has not specifically stated how Miller's control over Molson will create anti-competitive effects. However, Molson has not argued that Coors has failed to meet the requirements of notice pleading. See, e.g., American Nurses' Ass'n v. Illinois, 783 F.2d 716, 723 (7th Cir.1986) (discussing the advent of notice pleading); Charles Alan Wright, Law of Federal Courts Sec. 68, at 475-76 (5th ed. 1994) (arguing that district courts should not require more detailed pleadings in complex antitrust and securities litigation than they do in cases of ordinary complexity, and collecting cases). In addition, we note that one commentator has suggested that advertising may be a legitimate antitrust issue in the beer industry. 11 27 Without making a final judgment as a matter of law on any theory, we conclude that Coors has presented a sufficient factual outline to suggest that it might develop a theory unrelated to the Coors-Molson licensing agreement. Coors is therefore entitled to conduct discovery and refine its theories. However, we do not make a final judgment on any control theory because the record before us is insufficient to allow it. At a later point in this litigation, Molson may again challenge Coors's claims, with respect to both their relation to the licensing agreement and their legal sufficiency. At that point, with additional briefing and discovery, we believe that the district court will be in the proper position to make appropriate findings of fact and reach conclusions of law.