Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino Ethan Miller/Formula 1/Getty Images Logo text Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino took the stand in federal court Thursday, calling remarks his employees made about “robbing” fans “disgusting.”
“It’s disgusting. It’s not the way we operate,” Rapino said.
The messages, which were sent in private Slack messages in 2022 between Live Nation employees Ben Baker and and Jeff Weinhold, were shared last week as exhibits in the antitrust case about the entertainment giant. The messages which said the company was “robbing them blind, baby,” referred to hiking up fees and parking costs.
Related Stories
Business Senator Keeps Pushing for Live Nation-Ticketmaster Break Up As States Trial Resumes
Music Live Nation Antitrust Trial to Resume Monday as Company Fails to Reach Settlement With States
Rapino said he was not aware of the remarks until last week, and added that he has not yet taken action against Baker, who remains employed at the company and has not seen a pay cut. He plans to “deal with it” this week, but said “we don’t fire easily.”
Rapino’s testimony comes as the Justice Department reached a settlement last week with Live Nation, a few days after the federal antitrust trial had already begun. Forty state attorneys had joined the suit, which accused Live Nation, which owns Ticketmaster, of using its positions as the nation’s largest concert promoter, ticket seller and venue owner to undermine competition.”
A handful of states also settled with Live Nation last week, but more than 30 states are pressing forward with the trial in Manhattan. The number of jurors in the trial has dropped down to nine, as two jurors expressed an “extreme financial hardship” and could not continue in the trial.
Rapino was also grilled about comments he previously made saying the company’s “business model” had an “incredible moat built around the castle.” Pressed on whether he was referring to the company’s practice of locking venues into exclusive contracting, Rapino disagreed and said it referred to Live Nation building out its ticketing, venue and promotions businesses ahead of the competition.
“I’m very proud that we took this live industry that was fragmented 21 years ago and put it together,” he said.
More to come.
THR Newsletters
Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day
Subscribe Sign Up
