Live Nation Staff Allegedly Boasted About Charging Concert-Goers
Recent court filings reveal that two employees from Live Nation discussed their tactics for overcharging concert fans. The messages between Ben Baker and Jeff Weinhold, exchanged on Slack in 2022, were highlighted as part of a lawsuit by the Department of Justice (DOJ) against the company.
In these messages, Baker, responsible for overseeing ticket sales, noted that they were increasing concert prices while referring to the attendees as “so stupid.” Weinhold chimed in with comments about how VIP parking could cost as much as $250, even joking about it.
Baker expressed a sense of guilt, saying, “It almost feels bad to take advantage of them.” He reportedly shared a screenshot of parking fees, emphasizing the high costs with a statement that hinted at wrongdoing.
Plaintiffs in the lawsuit claim that these communications illustrate Live Nation’s monopolistic practices, suggesting the company isn’t hesitant to switch artists and profits by levying hefty fees on fans. A representative from Live Nation commented, acknowledging the Slack messages and stating that an investigation would be initiated as soon as company leaders became aware of them.
They added that for their business model to succeed, fans need to have a positive experience, citing recent efforts to limit venue fees to 15 percent and a $1 billion investment into amenities for fans at U.S. venues over the last 18 months.
Addressing the employee exchanges, Live Nation emphasized that these messages reflect the thoughts of a junior employee and don’t represent the company’s values or operations.
Notably, the DOJ had filed a lawsuit against Live Nation in 2024 and reached a settlement earlier this week, prior to these messages being submitted to the court. As part of the settlement, Live Nation agreed to allow some of Ticketmaster’s technology to integrate with other ticketing platforms and to relinquish exclusive control over 13 amphitheaters.
The outcome includes a cap on amphitheater fees at 15 percent and a potential payment of up to $280 million to cover damages noted in the original complaint.
