Live Nation employee mocks customers as 'so stupid' in internal messages

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Challenging your brain helps keep it healthy. Here's how to do it Some people tape their mouths shut at night. Doctors wish they wouldn't Newsletters Photography SECTIONS 2025 YEAR END PHOTOS Photo Essays TOP STORIES A photo captures black spots on clothespins that reveal the environmental toll of conflict in Tehran After an Iranian drone strike, a photographer captures this quiet human moment Inspired by Picasso, an AP photographer visualizes a blind person ‘seeing’ art Newsletters The World in Pictures Get The AP’s most compelling photographs sent directly to your inbox. See All Newsletters AP Investigations Climate SECTIONS Indigenous peoples and climate Climate Questions Climate Migration India Focus TOP STORIES Human waste backing up in basements is a gut-churning sign of US infrastructure problems US forecasts blizzard, polar vortex, heat dome and atmospheric river all at once Drivers wonder if they should go electric as the war spikes gas prices Health TOP STORIES Challenging your brain helps keep it healthy. Here's how to do it Some people tape their mouths shut at night. Doctors wish they wouldn't Colorectal cancer is rising in younger adults. Here's who is most at risk and symptoms to watch for FDA finds little evidence that a drug touted by Trump can help people with autism An effort to remedy harm from a race-based kidney test helps Black patients seeking transplants How springing forward to daylight saving time could affect your health Tech SECTIONS Artificial Intelligence Social Media TOP STORIES A service dog named Alfred sparked a Lyft settlement in Minnesota with nationwide reach Google overhauls its Maps app, adding in more AI features to help people get around Lawyers in landmark social media addiction trial make final appeals to the jury Lifestyle SECTIONS Food & Recipes Gardening Fashion Homes Travel Pets TOP STORIES Why ordering takeout or calling the dog walker might lead to a happier relationship Nobody said vegetable gardens must be in the backyard. Put them out front if it's sunny It's a little taste of Hawaii in a pie. Coconut custard meets pineapple upside-down topping Religion TOP STORIES Thiel brings his Antichrist lectures to the Vatican’s doorstep, and Catholic institutions back away What to know about Reform Judaism after an attack on one of its largest US synagogues Pope announces resignation of US bishop accused of embezzling $270K from California parish Newsletters World of Faith Comprehensive global coverage of how religion shapes our world. See All Newsletters Español SECTIONS Deportes Donald Trump TOP STORIES Google Maps se renueva y ofrece más funciones de IA Shakira dice que apenas empieza; su nominación al Salón de la Fama del Rock discrepa Microsoft y jefes militares retirados respaldan a Anthropic en lucha judicial contra el Pentágono Most watched videos Standards Quizzes Press Releases My Account AP News Code of Conduct World Iran war Russia-Ukraine war Español China Asia Pacific Latin America Europe Africa Middle East U.S. Immigration Weather Education Transportation Abortion LGBTQ+ Notable Deaths Politics 2026 Elections Election Results Election calendar White House Congress Supreme Court The latest AP-NORC polls Ground Game Sports Men’s Hoops Top 25 Women’s Hoops Top 25 NBA NHL MLB NFL Soccer Golf Auto Racing AP Top 25 College Football Poll Entertainment Movies Fashion Television Celebrity Interviews Music Books Business Tariffs Inflation Financial Markets Financial Wellness Technology Science Space Animals The Ancient World Climate Medicine Fact Check Oddities Be Well Trending Better health At home Working well For the climate Eating well Newsletters Photography 2025 YEAR END PHOTOS Photo Essays AP Investigations Climate Indigenous peoples and climate Climate Questions Climate Migration India Focus Health Tech Artificial Intelligence Social Media Lifestyle Food & Recipes Gardening Fashion Homes Travel Pets Religion Español Deportes Donald Trump Most watched videos Standards Quizzes Press Releases My Account AP News Code of Conduct MORE World Iran war Russia-Ukraine war Español China Asia Pacific Latin America Europe Africa Middle East U.S. Immigration Weather Education Transportation Abortion LGBTQ+ Notable Deaths Politics 2026 Elections Election Results Election calendar White House Congress Supreme Court The latest AP-NORC polls Ground Game Sports Men’s Hoops Top 25 Women’s Hoops Top 25 NBA NHL MLB NFL Soccer Golf Auto Racing AP Top 25 College Football Poll Entertainment Movies Fashion Television Celebrity Interviews Music Books Business Tariffs Inflation Financial Markets Financial Wellness Technology Science Space Animals The Ancient World Climate Medicine Fact Check Oddities Be Well Trending Better health At home Working well For the climate Eating well Newsletters Photography 2025 YEAR END PHOTOS Photo Essays AP Investigations Climate Indigenous peoples and climate Climate Questions Climate Migration India Focus Health Tech Artificial Intelligence Social Media Lifestyle Food & Recipes Gardening Fashion Homes Travel Pets Religion Español Deportes Donald Trump Most watched videos Standards Quizzes Press Releases My Account AP News Code of Conduct Sign in Search Query Submit Search Show Search Menu Submit Search From AP News About Contact Us Accessibility Statement Terms of Use Privacy Policy Cookie Settings Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information Limit Use and Disclosure of Sensitive Personal Information CA Notice of Collection The Associated Press ap.org Careers Advertise with us AP News Values and Principles AP’s Role in Elections AP Leads AP Definitive Source Blog AP Images Spotlight Blog AP Stylebook AP News Code of Conduct SECTIONS ap.org Careers Advertise with us AP News Values and Principles AP’s Role in Elections AP Leads AP Definitive Source Blog AP Images Spotlight Blog Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. U.S. News Live Nation employee mocks customers as ‘so stupid’ in internal messages released in court case Live Nation employee mocks customers as ‘so stupid’ in internal messages released in court case 1 of 2 | The Ticketmaster logo is seen along the sideline of the field before an NFL football game, Sept. 15, 2024, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack, File) Read More 2 of 2 | The seal of the Dept of Justice is shown on the podium, Aug. 1, 2023, at an office of the Department of Justice in Washington. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File) Read More Live Nation employee mocks customers as ‘so stupid’ in internal messages released in court case 1 of 2 | The Ticketmaster logo is seen along the sideline of the field before an NFL football game, Sept. 15, 2024, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack, File) Read More 1 of 2 The Ticketmaster logo is seen along the sideline of the field before an NFL football game, Sept. 15, 2024, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack, File) --> Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. --> Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More 2 of 2 | The seal of the Dept of Justice is shown on the podium, Aug. 1, 2023, at an office of the Department of Justice in Washington. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File) Read More 2 of 2 The seal of the Dept of Justice is shown on the podium, Aug. 1, 2023, at an office of the Department of Justice in Washington. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File) --> Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. --> Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More By LARRY NEUMEISTER Updated [hour]:[minute] [AMPM] [timezone], [monthFull] [day], [year] --> Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. --> Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit NEW YORK (AP) — Incendiary internal messages in which a Live Nation employee mocks customers as “so stupid” and says the company is “robbing them blind, baby” have been made public as over two dozen states weigh whether to continue their antitrust trial against the entertainment giant and its subsidiary Ticketmaster. The messages from late 2021 through early 2023 on the online work messaging platform Slack were highlighted late Wednesday in a filing by government lawyers released in the public court record. The lawyers insist the messages should be evidence in the week-old trial in Manhattan federal court against Live Nation and Ticketmaster. At the trial, lawyers for the federal government and 39 states and the District of Columbia say Live Nation and Ticketmaster were squelching competition and driving up prices for fans through threats, retaliation and other tactics to “suffocate the competition” by controlling virtually every aspect of the industry, from concert promotion to ticketing. The companies insist that artists, sports teams and venues set prices and decide how tickets are sold. The government lawyers wrote that the statements should be part of the trial because they are “candid, internal messages” in which Ben Baker “calls fans ‘so stupid,’ explains that he ‘gouge(s)’ them, and brags that Live Nation is ‘robbing them blind, baby.’” Related Stories 2 Ohio pastors emerge as faithful allies for Haitian migrants during Trump’s crackdown 6 MIN READ All but 2 of Austria’s 96 glaciers have retreated over last 2 years 1 MIN READ Cambodia drafts its first law targeting online scam centers 2 MIN READ In the submission to Judge Arun Subramanian, the lawyers noted that Baker made the statements while he was a regional director of ticketing with responsibility for a large amphitheater in Florida but has since been promoted to head of ticketing for Venue Nation with responsibilities relating to all of Live Nation’s venues. They said the employees were discussing Live Nation’s price for access to the VIP area of a show at the MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre in Tampa when Baker wrote that the prices are “outrageous,” that “these people are so stupid” and that “I almost feel bad taking advantage of them” before writing, “BAHAHAHAHAHA.” Live Nation wants the exhibits disqualified from the trial, saying the messages reflect “off-the-cuff banter, not policy” between two personal friends who do not work together. The company’s lawyers wrote that the exhibits don’t relate to the antitrust claims. They said the employees were making “passing references to non-ticket ancillary products — such as VIP club access, premier parking, or lawn chair rentals — sold to concertgoers at two amphitheaters” in Florida and Virginia. But lawyers for the plaintiff states and U.S. government wrote that “excessive prices for ancillary services are directly relevant” to their claims and that “ancillaries are a significant way that Live Nation monetizes its monopoly position in the amphitheater market.” In a statement Thursday, the company said the Slack exchange “from one junior staffer to a friend absolutely doesn’t reflect our values or how we operate.” The company added: “Because this was a private Slack message, leadership learned of this when the public did, and will be looking into the matter promptly.” The arguments regarding the exhibits were made after Bloomberg News, The New York Times and MLex, a publication which covers legal and regulatory matters, and Inner City Press requested their release. The trial’s status is up in the air after the federal government announced this week it was settling with Live Nation in a deal that would give Live Nation’s competitors some access to ticket sales they are currently excluded from. Lawyers for more than two dozen states have asked that the ongoing trial be scrapped and that a new jury be chosen in the weeks ahead. A jury that began hearing evidence last week was told to stay home this week with the expectation the trial would resume on Monday. Meanwhile, Subramanian encouraged lawyers for the states and Live Nation to negotiate this week before telling him late Friday whether they’ve reached a deal. Although the parties were not speaking publicly about the progress of any talks, a lawyer for Live Nation indicated at a court hearing Tuesday that there was no realistic chance of a fast deal with all states. In a letter to the judge Thursday, a states’ lawyer signaled the trial was likely to resume, saying the judge needed to rule on whether the Slack message exhibits can be shown to the jury because his decision will have a “material impact” on which witnesses the states call to testify as the states “prepare to resume trial next week.” Most read US military says a refueling aircraft went down in Iraq, rescue efforts are underway ROTC students at Old Dominion University subdued and killed shooter who left 1 dead, 2 hurt 5 MIN READ 118 States sue the Trump administration to challenge policy requiring colleges to collect race data 3 MIN READ 77 Iran war disrupts energy supplies as Iran’s new leader resolves to keep fighting 6 MIN READ 542 Man who rammed his vehicle into Michigan synagogue was naturalized citizen from Lebanon, DHS says 4 MIN READ 291