Live Nation’s Slack Scandal Hits Court

A new set of internal chat messages from Live Nation has surfaced in a federal trial. The chats, sent on Slack between late 2021 and early 2023, show a staff member calling fans “so stupid” and bragging that the company is “robbing them blind. ” These 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 focuses on whether the companies are stifling competition and inflating ticket prices. During the trial, government lawyers argue that Live Nation and Ticketmaster control almost every part of concert promotion and ticket sales. They claim the firms use intimidation to keep rivals out and raise costs for fans. Live Nation says it lets artists, teams, and venues set prices and decide how tickets are sold. The messages in question were written by Ben Baker, a former regional ticketing director who now heads ticketing for all Live Nation venues. He discussed VIP prices at a Florida amphitheater and described fans as “stupid” while laughing. The company claims these chats were just friendly banter and not evidence of policy.State lawyers say the high prices for extras like VIP access, parking, and lawn chairs are a key part of their case. They argue that these add‑ons help the company profit from its market dominance. Live Nation argues the chats are irrelevant to antitrust claims. The company released a statement saying it will investigate the private messages. It also said the content does not reflect its values or practices. The trial is on hold after a settlement offer was announced. The federal government plans to give competitors more ticket sales access. States want the case scrapped or a new jury chosen. Judge Arun Subramanian has asked parties to negotiate before deciding whether the Slack messages can be shown to a jury. The outcome will affect which witnesses appear and how the case proceeds.