NEW YORK, March 18 — A Live Nation ticketing executive sought to distance his company from his own words in a New York court yesterday, insisting controversial messages about fans did not reflect corporate thinking as a major antitrust trial intensifies.
“I was speaking for myself, not Live Nation as a whole,” said Benjamin Baker, head of ticketing for Venue Nation, as reported by US media outlets, after being confronted with private Slack messages in which he mocked customers and boasted about “robbing them blind, baby.”
Baker’s testimony has become a flashpoint in the high-stakes case brought by more than 30 US states, which accuse Live Nation and its ticketing arm, Ticketmaster, of stifling competition and driving up prices for concertgoers.
The messages, written in 2022 as “live” events roared back after the pandemic, showed Baker describing some customers as “so stupid” while reacting to high prices for add-ons like VIP access, parking and lawn chairs.
Facing pointed questioning from states’ lawyer Jeffrey Kessler, Baker apologised repeatedly, calling his language “very immature and regrettable.”
“I used very immature and regrettable language and that was not the language I was trying to convey,” he said, at one point becoming emotional as the exchanges were read aloud in court.
But Kessler pushed back on Baker’s attempt to frame the comments as personal rather than indicative of broader business practices.
“You could have charged US$25!” Kessler snapped, referencing a US$50 parking fee discussed in the messages.
Baker maintained the charges were optional upgrades rather than core ticket prices. Kessler countered that it was “also optional not to exploit every single dollar it can extract from these fans” — a remark that drew an objection that was sustained by the judge.
The now widely quoted line — “robbing them blind, baby” — resurfaced as Kessler pressed Baker on rising revenues tied to premium amenities, underscoring the states’ argument that Live Nation has adopted the mindset of a monopoly.
Baker, who has since been promoted twice, confirmed he has not been disciplined over the messages.
The broader case remains unresolved. While the US Justice Department reached a settlement with Live Nation last week aimed at opening parts of the ticketing and promotion market, most states involved in the lawsuit have rejected it as insufficient, continuing to push for stronger remedies.
Live Nation, for its part, has argued it operates in a competitive, low-margin business shaped by artists and venues, not unchecked pricing power.
Still, as the courtroom battle plays out, it is the off-the-cuff messages — and Baker’s attempt to separate them from the company — that are emerging as one of the trial’s most closely watched moments.
