Two Live Nation employees joked about fans being “gouged” with fees and parking costs at concerts, also adding that these concertgoers are “so stupid” and that Live Nation is “rigging them blind, baby,” according to private messages released as court documents as part of Live Nation’s antitrust lawsuit.
The letters, which were sent in 2022 between Live Nation employees Ben Baker and Jeff Weinhold, were shared on Wednesday as an exhibit in the government’s case against the live music giant, after Live Nation argued that the documents were not relevant to the case. However, the plaintiff said it reflects Live Nation’s monopoly power, as artists do not want to extort their fans, but Live Nation is able to “diminish the fan experience by charging exorbitant prices for additional services without fear of artists turning away.”
“A Slack exchange from a junior employee to a friend is not at all reflective of our values or the way we work,” Live Nation said in a statement.
“Since this was a private message from Slack, leadership knew about this when the public found out and will look into it immediately,” the representative said. “Our business only succeeds when fans have great experiences, which is why we capped grandstand venue fees at 15 percent and invested $1 billion in the last 18 months in U.S. venues and fan amenities.”
Among the most notable messages revealed in court documents, in 2022, Baker, who oversees ticketing for Live Nation’s unit, called some of the high prices “absolutely obscene,” to which Weinhold responded, saying, “I have VIP parking for up to $250.”
“I feel bad taking advantage of them,” Baker replied.
In another exchange, Baker shared a screenshot of prime parking costs, also saying “Steal ’em, blind people, baby, that’s how we do it.” Later in the exchange, Baker said, “I earned them additional fares to make up for it,” referring to additional surcharges on more standard tickets.
The documents including the exchanges were filed days after Live Nation and the Justice Department agreed to a settlement on the case on Monday. When the Justice Department first sued the company in 2024, it called for Live Nation’s eponymous concert promoter to be separated from ticketing giant Ticketmaster.
The settlement does not call for a breakup but includes concessions including opening up some of Ticketmaster’s technology to other ticketing platforms, as well as divesting Live Nation of its exclusive operation of 13 amphitheaters across the country. Live Nation is also capping fees at its stands at 15 percent, and has agreed to pay up to $280 million, which reflects the damages the states reported in the original complaint.
While the Justice Department itself has settled, Live Nation must settle with the remaining 39 states and the District of Columbia that also sued the company. Assuming Live Nation does not reach a settlement with all remaining plaintiffs, the case is expected to resume next week.
