Newly released court documents reveal messages between two Live Nation employees bragging about “robbing customers blind.” Other messages include:
– “These people are so stupid”
– “I almost feel bad taking advantage of them”
– “Robbing them blind, baby. That’s how we do it.”… pic.twitter.com/R3dFwlDbvU— Variety (@Variety) March 12, 2026
A 2022 conversation between two regional directors of ticketing for Live Nation venues (Ben Baker and Jeff Weinhold) were released from official court documents. Baker wrote that “these people are so stupid” for paying such high ticket fees. Weinhold noted that he had VIP parking at a show priced up to $250 for one spot. “I almost feel bad taking advantage of them,” responded Baker.
In another exchange, Baker bragged about charging “$50 to park in the grass” and “$60 for closer grass.” “Robbing them blind, baby,” he wrote. “That’s how we do it.”
A Live Nation representative said: “The Slack exchange from one junior staffer to a friend absolutely doesn’t reflect our values or how we operate. Because this was a private Slack message, leadership learned of this when the public did, and will be looking into the matter promptly. Our business only works when fans have great experiences, which is why we’ve capped amphitheater venue fees at 15% and have invested $1 billion in the last 18 months into U.S. venues and fan amenities.”
