Does David Marcus Still Think There’s No Evidence of Predatory Behavior?
In response to my post on the state of the live entertainment business, he took offense to me saying that Live Nation had won, but everyone else had lost.
He replied to Charles Kaufman’s comment on LinkedIn to call me out. (Didn’t tag me, just replied and used my name…weak.)
“There’s no serious evidence that scale is used to extract outsized margins or be predatory in any way.”
He said Live Nation doesn’t set fees. Operates at the direction of clients.
That being the best wasn’t a crime.
All things I never said they did.
That was then…
WELL! WELL! WELL!
No wonder Live Nation didn’t want these documents unsealed.
Internal chats from 2022. Live Nation executives. Laughing.
“These people are so stupid.”
“I gouge them on ancil prices.”
“Robbing them blind, baby, that’s how we do it.”
$250 for VIP parking at a Virginia venue.
“These people are so stupid,” wrote Ben Baker. Then, he went on to brag about “$50 to park in the grass” and “$60 for closer grass.”
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No client asked for that.
No promoter directed it.
That was just Live Nation employees acting in a way that the system encouraged.
Let’s see how David Marcus’s claims stand up:
- “No serious evidence of predatory behavior.” = Executives admitting to gouging fans on ancillary fees.
- “We don’t set fees.” Maybe in a very narrow way. But parking fees, lawn chair fees, VIP access…
- “We operate at the direction of our clients.” Hmmm…can we see where a client asked them to mock fans?
- “It’s not a crime to be the best.” No. Not at all. But using monopoly power to gouge and harm a market most certainly is.
David, are you still certain?
Because I’m not sure I was strong enough in my analysis of the industry. I may have pulled a punch or two…unnecessarily.
The argument is structural now.
It is about market share. Vertical integration. Culture. Contempt.
The people running Live Nation’s venues don’t see fans as customers. People to serve.
They see them as marks.
“These people are so stupid.”
“Robbing them blind, baby.”
That’s not a pricing strategy. That’s not even pricing power.
That’s predation. Plain and simple.
Live Nation didn’t want you to see this. They lost.
Inner City Press won. Matthew Russell Lee won. The press won. The cleansing power of sunlight won.
Now we have a taste of what Live Nation has been desperate to hide.
The question isn’t if evidence exists.
We see it. In court filings. Irrefutable.
The question is what happens now…
That’s in the court’s hands.