Live Nation Employees Brag About Price-Gouging Customers, Calling Them ‘So Stupid’ in New Court Documents

Internal company messages, recently unsealed by the court, reveal Live Nation employees boasting about imposing high additional costs on fans. Presiding over a major federal antitrust case, U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian made public 2022 Slack conversations between regional ticketing executives Ben Baker and Jeff Weinhold. Their discussion focused on tactics to inflate ancillary fees like parking, with one participant calling paying customers "so stupid." In a key moment, after noting VIP parking was priced at $250, Baker wrote, "I almost feel bad taking advantage of them."

These communications deliver a raw glimpse into a corporate mindset at odds with Live Nation's public stance. The company, formed through its contentious 2010 merger with Ticketmaster—a deal that created a live entertainment behemoth controlling an estimated 70% of the market for major concert tickets and promotion—had aggressively sought to keep these exchanges private. Justice Department attorneys successfully argued they were essential, providing a "candid, contemporaneous look into how they view prices." Their disclosure follows Live Nation's tentative settlement with the DOJ this Monday, an agreement that avoids a potential court-ordered breakup of the Live Nation-Ticketmaster entity.

In response to the damaging evidence, a Live Nation representative issued a statement to Variety distancing the corporation from the employees' comments. The company framed the exchange as an isolated, private chat between "one junior staffer to a friend," unknown to leadership and contrary to its values. The statement highlighted recent company actions, including a 15% cap on amphitheater fees and a pledged $1 billion investment into U.S. venues. Such capital expenditures are a standard industry tactic to secure exclusive, long-term operating contracts with venues, which are crucial for maintaining Live Nation's dominant, vertically integrated business model. Laura Jones of the Fair Ticketing Alliance offered a critical perspective: "While the venue investments are tangible, they primarily serve to lock in the very market control that enables this culture of fee exploitation. Real change requires fostering genuine competition, not just reinvesting monopoly profits."

The federal settlement does not mark the end of Live Nation's legal challenges. A coalition of 27 state attorneys general, including those from populous states like New York and California, is pursuing its own parallel lawsuits. These state-level actions seek additional injunctive relief and ongoing oversight, maintaining significant pressure on the company. The employees involved, Ben Baker—formerly the head of ticketing for Live Nation’s Venue Nation division—and Jeff Weinhold, a senior ticketing director, were central figures; Baker was prepared to testify in the DOJ trial before the settlement. Their unguarded messages now serve as potent evidence for state prosecutors arguing that a permissive internal culture was a direct contributor to widespread consumer harm.