Ticketing Execs ‘Almost Feel Bad’ About ‘Robbing’ Concertgoers ‘Blind,’ Leaked Texts Show
Drazen Zigic | Shutterstock Concert tickets are anything but cheap and prices and availability seem to only be getting worse. In fact, many concertgoers have been complaining about the ridiculous ticket prices on platforms like Ticketmaster and the astronomical resale prices.
Disgruntled fans may have been right when airing their grievances about ticket prices after leaked messages from Live Nation executives revealed how they feel about taking advantage of fans desperate to see their favorite artists live. Newly released court documents have revealed that two Live Nation employees bragged about pulling the wool over customers' eyes.
Live Nation execs 'almost feel bad' about 'robbing' concertgoers blind, leaked texts show.
In a series of text exchanges from late 2021 to early 2023, released in court documents, the two Live Nation employees, Ben Baker and Jeff Weinhold, who handled tickets at Live Nation venues in Florida and Virginia, discussed ticketing and other details about various shows. The messages between them showed both men seemingly "bragging" about how much customers were being charged for services like parking and VIP seating upgrades.
For a Kid Rock show at an amphitheater in Tampa in 2022, the men posted a pricing chart labeled "VIP Club Admission," with the maximum price being $199. “These people are so stupid,' Baker wrote. Weinhold responded, "I have VIP parking up to $250 lol."
Baker replied, "I almost feel bad taking advantage of them." In another exchange from 2022, the two men discussed a financial table showing the annual growth of "premier parking" at an unnamed venue, with prices reaching $666,000 in 2021. "Robbing them blind baby," Baker wrote. "That’s how we do."
Live Nation was previously sued for maintaining a monopoly over entertainment.
According to CNN, Live Nation and Ticketmaster finally reached an agreement with authorities over accusations that the ticketing conglomerate had created a monopoly in the live events music industry earlier this month. The lawsuit was filed against the company during the Biden administration by more than 30 state and district attorneys general.
Prosecutors accused Live Nation of monopolistic behavior by cutting exclusive deals with large concert venues, ensuring that all their future events were ticketed through their platform. This was highlighted back in 2022 after millions of fans were blocked from purchasing tickets to Taylor Swift's "Eras" tour. That incident exposed how a lack of competition with other ticketing services has led to poor customer service and unfair pricing.
Most fans are unable to afford concert tickets, yet still try to splurge on them.
Drazen Zigic | Shutterstock
The lack of affordable concert tickets has affected a large number of Americans. In a 2023 survey by Insuranks, which surveyed over 1,000 people between the ages of 18 and 75, nearly 4 in 5 people said they would attend a concert that year, though 1 in 3 said they were worried about scoring tickets.
The survey found that on average, people spend $113 per ticket, but would be willing to spend over $200 to see their favorite artist live. Nearly half of the respondents said they would even consider getting a second job to help pay for concert tickets.
The reality is that concerts are becoming a luxury most people cannot afford, and it's all because companies like Live Nation are ripping off their own customers.
Nia Tipton is a staff writer with a bachelor’s degree in creative writing and journalism who covers news and lifestyle topics that focus on psychology, relationships, and the human experience.
