Live Nation’s Slack Scandal Hits Court

A fresh batch of internal chat messages from Live Nation has emerged during a federal trial. The Slack exchanges, dated between late 2021 and early 2023, reveal a staff member insulting fans as “so stupid” while boasting that the company is “robbing them blind.”

The Legal Context

The messages are now part of a lawsuit filed by the U.S. government and 39 states against Live Nation and its Ticketmaster arm. The case centers on allegations that the companies are:

• Stifling competition
• Inflating ticket prices

Government lawyers argue that Live Nation and Ticketmaster dominate nearly every facet of concert promotion and ticket sales, using intimidation to keep rivals out and raise costs for fans. In contrast, Live Nation maintains that it allows artists, teams, and venues to set prices and control ticket distribution.

Key Details of the Slack Chats

• Author: Ben Baker, former regional ticketing director and current head of ticketing for all Live Nation venues.
• Content: Discussions about VIP pricing at a Florida amphitheater, accompanied by derogatory remarks toward fans and laughter.
• Company’s Response: The chats are labeled “friendly banter” and not evidence of policy.

Live Nation’s Statement

Live Nation released a statement indicating it will investigate the private messages. The company also asserted that the content does not reflect its values or practices.