Live Nation directors mocked fans and bragged about 'robbing them blind' in leaked Slack messages

Two ticketing executives at Live Nation Entertainment are facing backlash after internal Slack messages surfaced showing them joking about charging concertgoers steep fees.

The messages, exchanged in 2022 between regional ticketing directors Ben Baker and Jeff Weinhold, were revealed in court filings tied to the US government’s antitrust case against Live Nation and Ticketmaster.

Ticketmaster has long been criticized by fans for additional service fees that can significantly increase the final cost of concert tickets.

In one message, Baker mocked customers while discussing pricing for venues operated by Live Nation. He said VIP parking had been raised to as much as $250 and joked about “taking advantage” of fans.

He also bragged about increasing extra charges tied to events, writing that he was “gouging” customers and “robbing them blind.”

The messages became public after a judge declined to redact them from court documents. The Justice Department and several state attorneys general argued the exchange showed how Live Nation could charge excessive prices for additional services.

Live Nation downplayed the messages, calling them off-the-cuff banter between colleagues and saying the comments do not reflect the company’s values or policies.