Additional Coverage:
- Live Nation employees caught calling fans ‘so stupid’ in shocking price-gouging messages (foxnews.com)
“Robbing Them Blind, Baby”: Live Nation Employees Caught Bragging About Price Gouging in Shocking Messages
NEW YORK, NY – In a development that will likely have concertgoers seeing red, newly unsealed court documents have revealed private messages between Live Nation employees openly gloating about price-gouging customers, with one even boasting about “robbing them blind.” These exchanges come to light amidst a federal antitrust lawsuit accusing Live Nation, the entertainment giant that owns Ticketmaster, of maintaining a monopoly to inflate ticket prices and stifle competition.
The controversial messages, first reported by The New York Times, were extracted from Slack conversations between two regional directors. Live Nation’s attempts to keep these “private remarks” out of the trial were unsuccessful, as a judge denied their exclusion.
One particularly damning exchange involved Ben Baker, a Live Nation employee in Florida, who wrote, “These people are so stupid.” Jeff Weinhold, who oversaw ticketing at a Virginia amphitheater, responded with a casual, “I have VIP parking up to $250 lol.” Baker then added, “I almost feel bad taking advantage of them.”
In another reported conversation, Baker was quoted bragging about charges for “premier parking,” declaring, “I was robbing them blind baby,” and adding, “That’s how we do.”
Live Nation has since issued a statement to Fox News Digital, attempting to distance itself from the remarks. “The Slack exchange from one junior staffer to a friend absolutely does not reflect our values or how we operate,” a spokesperson stated. “Because this was a private Slack message, leadership learned of this when the public did, and will be looking into the matter promptly.”
The company also claimed that such actions, which appear to show employees “going over caps,” contradict their established policies. They further highlighted their commitment to “great experiences” for fans, citing capped amphitheater venue fees at 15% and a $1 billion investment in U.S. venues and amenities over the past 18 months.
The revelation of these messages comes on the heels of a recently announced settlement between the Department of Justice and Live Nation. The lawsuit, filed in 2024 under then-Attorney General Merrick Garland, accused the company of “unlawful, anticompetitive conduct to exercise its monopolistic control over the live events industry.”
Live Nation Entertainment President and CEO Michael Rapino defended the settlement as “a major step in improving the concert experience.” He stated that Live Nation’s amphitheaters will now be open to all promoters, allowing them to distribute up to 50% of tickets, and that ticketing service fees will be capped at 15%.
However, the settlement has not been without its critics. Lawmakers like Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) took to social media to voice their disapproval.
Senator Warren, in a post on X, sharply criticized the deal, writing, “Donald Trump just betrayed every fan who’s been exploited by Ticketmaster. This fine is less than 1% of Live Nation’s revenue last year AND lets them continue to rip off fans with a 15% ‘Ticketmaster Tax.’
It’s wrong. We need to break up Ticketmaster and Live Nation.”
As part of the settlement, Live Nation will also divest its booking agreements with 13 amphitheaters across the nation. While Live Nation hopes this agreement will appease critics and improve the fan experience, these newly revealed messages are sure to fuel public anger and scrutiny over the company’s past practices.