TicketMonster Unsealing Battle: In Live Nation Trial as States Do Not Rest after Yovich Inner City Press Moves to Unseal with Letter Pending - more here, on war room encounters, dynamic
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by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon “TicketMonster” Book1 Book 2 Substack
SDNY COURTHOUSE, March 25 – The United States versus Live Nation trial began on March 2 with jury selection, before U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York Judge Arun Subramanian. Then after a week of testimony it went on pause, and the DOJ and now several states settlement with Live Nation.
On March 16 the trial picked back up, with NYS’ Hatch questioning AEG’s Marciano followed by a grilling cross by Live Nations’ Marriott, emphasizing the size and actions of AEG. Then the states called Live Nations Bob Roux, who repeatedly said he didn’t remember and couldn’t confirm.
On March 17 the states put on Ben Baker, whose Slack messages about robbing customers blind were unsealed amid Press requests. Baker called his language immature; there was no cross. CEO Rapino is due on the stand on the morning of March 19...
On March 18, a former Ticketmaster technie, Edward Khoury now of Jump Platforms, on TM’s ancient systems, and a defensive Mike Evans unaware of Rapino’s threats to Abbamondi - expect more on that on March 19.
On March 19 Rapino was on the stand all day. Kessler landed some blows, about why lawn chairs were banned (so that Live Nation could charge for them); Rapino with his own lawyer painted a different picture. It’s all in the thread. Kessler said the states will rest on Wednesday, March 25.
Late on March 19, Inner City Press publishes TicketMonster in Court, here
On March 20 there was only one witness, LN’s Colin Lewis who promotes Shakira and Cardi B and Post Malone. He was about saying AEG would never be in the Hollywood Bowl. Then after the juror left, LN said its case will take seven trial days, with April 1 and 2 off for Passover.
On Sunday March 22 the States’ lawyer wrote in that “Marriott, represented to the Court that Defendants’ “best estimate” was that they would put on a case for 7 trial days, Defendants disclosed a list of 29 live witnesses and 19 witnesses via designation. This is pure gamesmanship aimed at impeding Plaintiffs’ ability to prepare for trial” - full filing on Patreon here.
On Monday March 23 expert Doctor Hill was on the stand, with Live Nation’s Marriott asking him couldn’t there be reasons other than retaliation for artists to have declined to play the Barclays Center while its ticketing with with SeatGeek?
Amid reports of a meeting in the White House on March 5, Judge Subramanian set a March 27 deadline for a letter about the Tunney Act process. How deep might he dig?
On March 24 after a night of unacted-on sealing requests and Bryan Perez of AXS, the states’ damages expert Rosa Abranes-Metz was on the stand for the rest of the day, and into the next. She calculated what she said was each fan’s loss per ticket but...
After midnight on March 24-25, Live Nation filed two letters requesting sealing. Inner City Press filed opposition at 1:47 am, here. Midday on March 25 Judge Subramanian asked if anyone from Inner City Press was in the courtroom. Later, after live tweeting the jocular testimony of Mark Yovich of Ticketmaster, Inner City Press was ready to argue. Judge Subramanian said, Mr. Lee, I see you here, I have read your letter, we will address it.” Watch this site.
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