The unsealed 2022 Slack exchanges between Live Nation regional directors Ben Baker and Jeff Weinhold read like a masterclass in corporate contempt. Discussing a Kid Rock show in Tampa Bay, Baker boasted about “robbing them blind, baby” while Weinhold added commentary about parking fees: “These people are so stupid… I almost feel bad taking advantage of them BAHAHAHAHAHA.”
These weren’t rogue tweets or leaked recordings—these were direct messages between company directors, preserved in corporate systems during active federal scrutiny. A Manhattan judge approved their release this week after Bloomberg and other outlets petitioned for transparency. Live Nation had attempted to dismiss them as “off-the-cuff banter, not policy.”
The timing couldn’t be worse for Live Nation. These messages surfaced just as the company reached a settlement with the DOJ in its antitrust case, positioning itself as a reformed player ready to serve fans better.
Settlement Falls Short of Fan Relief
New restrictions may look substantial but leave Live Nation’s core advantages intact.
The DOJ settlement imposes several limitations that sound impressive on paper but may deliver limited relief to your wallet. Key restrictions include:
- Ticketmaster service fees capped at 15% for Live Nation-owned venues
- Exclusivity contracts limited to four years maximum
- Divestiture of exclusive booking rights at 13 amphitheaters
- Competitor access to Ticketmaster’s platform for ticket listings
Yet Live Nation keeps Ticketmaster—the crown jewel that gives them pricing power across the industry. The $280 million fund goes to states, not individual fans who’ve been “robbed blind” over the years.
Multiple state attorneys general, including New York’s Letitia James, rejected the settlement as insufficient and plan to continue their lawsuit. They’re betting that a jury might be less forgiving than federal regulators, especially with executive messages like these in evidence.
The settlement requires eight more years of federal oversight, but given Live Nation’s track record of creative compliance, you’d be forgiven for skepticism about meaningful change. After all, these are the same executives who found fan exploitation hilarious enough to joke about in writing.
Live Nation dismissed the messages as comments from “one junior staffer,” but both Baker and Weinhold held director-level positions. Sometimes the mask slips, revealing exactly how entertainment monopolies view their captive audience.
