Two employees from Live Nation reportedly expressed their delight over charging customers high prices at the company’s venues, referring to patrons as “so stupid” and describing their actions as “almost disgusting.” These comments came to light in court documents released Wednesday.
Live Nation, which owns Ticketmaster, has been called out for inflating ticket prices, particularly affecting Taylor Swift fans. Earlier this week, the company reached an unexpected settlement with the Justice Department, but several state attorneys general continue to pursue legal action.
Slack messages exchanged between Ben Baker and Jeff Weinhold, who were regional ticket sales managers from 2021 to 2023, revealed their pride in hiking up “ancillary fees” for parking and VIP packages. For instance, Weinhold boasted about charging $250 for VIP parking at a venue in Virginia, while Baker cheerfully discussed fees like “$50 to park on the lawn” and “$60 for a nearby lawn” at another location.
Baker remarked, “These people are really stupid. It almost feels bad to take advantage of them.” In a 2022 conversation, they also went over the annual growth of Premier Parking at unspecified venues, noting it had reached $660,000 in 2021, according to financial records shared in the chat.
Baker added, “You stole their eye, baby. That’s the way we do it.” Later in the discussion, they talked about increasing ticket prices, with Baker stating, “I’m significantly increasing ticket prices to compensate.”
In response to the comments, Live Nation attempted to distance itself from the statements. A representative told the Post, “The Slack exchange from one junior staff member to a friend is in no way reflective of our values or the way we operate. As this was a private Slack message, leaders have learned of this and will investigate immediately.”
Baker, who has since been promoted to head of ticket sales for Live Nation’s outdoor theaters, was initially set to testify in court this week. However, his testimony was postponed following the recent settlement with the Justice Department, which aimed to avoid a sale amid allegations regarding Ticketmaster’s monopolistic practices.
Live Nation has stated it has limited amphitheater admission prices to 15% and has invested $1 billion in U.S. theaters over the past year and a half.
U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian has urged state attorneys general who rejected the settlement to either negotiate their own agreements or prepare to continue the trial with the same jury.
Last week, Live Nation attempted to block the release of the internal Slack communications, claiming they were “irrelevant” and designed to portray the company negatively and influence the jury.
The company described the exchanges between Baker and Weinhold as “impromptu banter” among friends, not reflective of company policy or important decisions.
According to court documents, state attorneys general argued the ancillary fees discussed in the messages serve as a method for the company to “degrade the fan experience by imposing high prices without concern for forcing artists to change.”
This week, Judge Subramanian ordered the publication of the court documents following a request from several news outlets.
The newspaper reached out to Baker and Weinhold for their comments.
