US EditionLive Nation CEO Says It’s ‘Disgusting’ that a Top Executive Talked About ‘Robbing Fans Blind’
CEO Michael Rapino called 2022 employee Slack messages boasting about overcharging customers "disgusting" amid allegations of market dominance by Live Nation and Ticketmaster.
- On Thursday, Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino took the stand and called private Slack messages 'disgusting', saying he planned to 'deal with it' this week.
- Last week, the U.S. Department of Justice settled, while more than 30 states continue the trial in Manhattan over antitrust issues.
- Private Slack messages revealed that Live Nation employees Ben Baker and Jeff Weinhold bragged about 'robbing them blind, baby', which the legal team called 'off-the-cuff banter, not policy'; Benjamin Baker later described them as 'very immature and unacceptable' and apologized.
- On Thursday, March 19, 2026, 33 states and the District of Columbia continue the trial after jurors, reduced to one after two dropped out for 'extreme financial hardship', and the federal government reached last week’s settlement, which aimed to boost competition.
- He defended Live Nation's 'business model' amid antitrust scrutiny, saying he is 'very proud' to have consolidated the fragmented live-entertainment industry over more than 20 years.
21 Articles
21 Articles
Live Nation CEO says it’s ‘disgusting’ that a top executive talked about ‘robbing fans blind’
The chief executive of Live Nation testified Thursday that it was “disgusting” that one of his top ticketing executives talked about “robbing fans blind” in internal messages.
Live Nation CEO’s Pay Tied to ‘Solving’ DOJ-Antitrust Problem
Live Nation Entertainment Inc. Chief Executive Officer Michael Rapino told a New York jury that his multi-million-dollar compensation is tied in part to his “solving the DOJ problem” — a reference to the threat posed by government antitrust enforcers who want to break up the company.
Associated Press News
Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino, defending his company, takes star role at antitrust trial
Live Nation Entertainment's longtime chief executive is testifying at a New York antitrust trial, defending the dominant position his company has taken in the concert industry over the last two decades.
New York. An employee of the Live Nation Entertainment ticket sales division testified, at the company’s antitrust trial, that his instant private messages were “very immature and unacceptable” several years ago, when he told a co-worker that some customers were “so stupid” and boasted of “stealing everything, baby.”
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