Live Nation CEO says it’s ‘disgusting’ that an employee talked about ‘robbing fans blind’ Michael Rapino, CEO of Live Nation Entertainment, testified in a civil antitrust trial in Manhattan, calling it “disgusting” that a top ticketing employee used internal messages to describe charging fans high fees as “robbing them blind.” The trial involves roughly two dozen states accusing Live Nation of operating as a monopoly by leveraging its control over ticketing, venues, and advertising to charge excessive fees. Rapino, who has led the company since 2005, faced scrutiny over rising ticket costs, exclusivity deals, and profit margins. During cross-examination, Rapino was questioned about internal communications from 2022 involving Ben Baker, then-head of ticketing for Venue Nation, a Live Nation division. In a Slack message, Baker wrote, “robbing them blind baby. That’s how we do,” to which a colleague replied, “lol.” Rapino condemned the remark, calling it “disgusting and not the way we operate.” Another message from Baker referred to VIP fees as “f—ing outrageous,” adding, “these people are so stupid.” Baker later testified that his comments were “indefensible” and expressed shock at the prices fans were willing to pay. Rapino defended Live Nation’s business model, stating he is “very proud” of the company’s growth. He acknowledged that fees for tickets, parking, food, and seating at Live Nation-owned venues come from fans but denied calling these charges “outrageous.” When asked about a 20% fee Ticketmaster charges for secondary market ticket sales, Rapino dismissed the idea of capping such fees, saying, “I’m the only one that says I want to cap secondary, so it goes against the motive you’re trying to deliver.#live_nation_entertainment #michael_rapino #manhattan #ben_baker #venue_nation
