Live Nation employees bragged about overcharging and 'taking advantage' of concert goers, according to court documents.
The US company, which owns Ticketmaster, settled with the Justice Department earlier this week for $280 million (£209 million) following an anti-trust case triggered by the botched rollout of tickets for Taylor Swift's Eras tour.
In 2024, the Justice Department and 40 states accused Live Nation of operating an illegal monopoly over live events in America.
Court documents from the settled federal lawsuit, subject to judicial approval, show former regional directors of ticketing, Ben Baker and Jeff Weinhold, boasting about overcharging customers.
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In a series of Slack messages from 2021 through 2023, they say 'these people are so stupid' and that 'I almost feel bad taking advantage of them'.
Documents show Weinhold boasting about charging $250 for VIP parking at a Virginia venue, while Baker opens up about charging '$50 to park in the grass' and '$60 for closer grass' at another location.
“Robbing them blind, baby,” Baker wrote. “That’s how we do.”
“I gouge them on ancil prices to make up for it,” he added.
Live Nation argued that the messages reflected 'off-the-cuff banter, not policy, decision-making, or facts of consequence'.
A company spokesperson also said that the claims do not match their values.
“The Slack exchange from one junior staffer to a friend absolutely doesn’t reflect our values or how we operate,” they said.
“Because this was a private Slack message, leadership learned of this when the public did, and will be looking into the matter promptly.”
Baker, who is now the head of ticketing for the Live Nation unit, was due to testify if it wasn't for the settlement.
Judge Arun Subramanian was frustrated by the outcome and suggested that he was kept in the dark with regards to both parties meeting on Friday.
"It shows absolute disrespect for the court, the jury and this entire process," Subramanian said. "It is absolutely unacceptable."
"For years, Live Nation has made enormous profits by exploiting its illegal monopoly and raising costs for shows," New York Attorney General Letitia James added.
"The settlement recently announced with the US Department of Justice fails to address the monopoly at the centre of this case, and would benefit Live Nation at the expense of consumers."
Under the proposed settlement, Live Nation have promised to:
- allow venues to use multiple ticket-selling vendors instead of relying solely on Ticketmaster
- let touring artists hire other promoters even when performing in Live Nation venues
- open 13 venues previously tied to exclusive booking deals with Live Nation
- pay $280 million in damages to nearly 40 states involved in the lawsuit
LADbible Group has contacted Live Nation for comment.
Anish Vij