The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) members who originally founded and owned the Golden Globe Awards have initiated a $150 million lawsuit against Penske Media Corporation and others, alleging a fraudulent scheme to acquire the awards show. The complaint, filed in a federal court in California, claims that Penske Media colluded with Eldridge Industries and its CEO, Todd Boehly, to devalue and gain control over the Golden Globes, aiming to monopolize Hollywood trades, awards, and advertising markets.
The lawsuit alleges that Eldridge and Boehly concealed Penske Media’s involvement in the 2023 purchase from the HFPA board, which would have blocked the deal had it been fully informed. It further charges that the defendants orchestrated a boycott of the Golden Globes via publicity in Penske-owned publications to undermine the awards’ reputation before finalizing the acquisition. This boycott notably contributed to NBC’s refusal to broadcast the ceremony in 2022.
Penske Media owns several key entertainment industry outlets, including Variety, Deadline, The Hollywood Reporter, Rolling Stone, and Billboard, alongside Dick Clark Productions — producer of multiple awards shows, including the American Music Awards. Dick Clark Productions also became a part owner of the Golden Globes in the acquisition. According to the suit, HFPA members were promised lifelong tickets and voting privileges as part of the sale, but these privileges were later revoked under impractical conditions imposed by Penske.
The lawsuit further accuses the buyers of infiltrating HFPA leadership to push the deal forward without transparent board approval. Despite ongoing allegations, neither Boehly nor Eldridge Industries were named as defendants in the lawsuit, leaving questions about their legal exposure. A spokesperson representing the Golden Globes’ current owners dismissed the lawsuit as part of continuing "absurdity," reflecting tensions between the old HFPA establishment and the new ownership.
The Golden Globes have faced significant turmoil throughout the 2020s, including intense public criticism over a lack of diversity – a Los Angeles Times investigation once revealed the HFPA had only one Black member, sparking widespread industry protests. After Penske Media’s acquisition in 2023, the ceremony found a new broadcast partner in CBS, signifying a major shift in the awards season landscape.