Two Live Nation ticketing executives mocked concertgoers and bragged about charging steep fees for parking and VIP upgrades, according to internal Slack messages included in court documents released late Wednesday.
In the exchanges, Ben Baker and Jeff Weinhold joked about "gouging" fans with high ancillary fees and ridiculed customers for paying the charges, New York Post reported.
The Slack conversations span from 2021 through 2023.
"These people are so stupid," one of the employees wrote in the Slack channel, adding, "I almost feel bad taking advantage of them."
Baker and Weinhold at the time served as regional directors of ticketing for the entertainment giant, according to the court exhibits.
In one exchange discussing concert parking and premium packages, Baker wrote: "Robbing them blind, baby. That's how we do."
The two also discussed ticket pricing strategies in the Slack channel. In one message about base seat prices, Baker wrote that he would compensate for lower ticket costs by increasing additional charges.
"I gouge them on ancil prices to make up for it," he wrote, referring to ancillary fees such as parking and VIP upgrades.
The internal messages were cited in filings tied to a high-profile antitrust case involving Live Nation, the world's largest concert promoter and owner of Ticketmaster.
A Justice Department lawyer said the Slack exchanges "provide a candid, contemporaneous look into how they view the prices that Live Nation charges fans for ancillary services at their respective venues."
The documents became public after U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian ordered them released in full following a request earlier this week by Bloomberg News, The New York Times, and MLex.
Live Nation said the comments do not reflect the company's practices or values.
"The Slack exchange from one junior staffer to a friend absolutely doesn't reflect our values or how we operate," a company spokesperson said in a statement to The Post. "Because this was a private Slack message, leadership learned of this when the public did, and will be looking into the matter promptly."
The antitrust trial involving Live Nation is currently paused after the Justice Department announced a surprise settlement with the company on Monday.
However, several state attorneys general who did not join the agreement are preparing to move forward with their own case against the company.
The newly released messages are likely to add to scrutiny of Live Nation's pricing practices as regulators and state officials continue to challenge the company's dominance in the live entertainment and ticketing industry.
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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