Music industry analyst Bob Lefsetz faced intense criticism this week after publishing a contentious blog post discussing Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino in the wake of the recent UnitedHealthcare CEO shooting incident.
In his post titled "Michael Rapino," Lefsetz posed what many considered an inflammatory question about potential threats to the Live Nation executive, while discussing widespread consumer frustration with Ticketmaster's business practices.
The blog post highlighted the mounting tensions between concertgoers and Ticketmaster/Live Nation, noting that service fees often match ticket face values and suggesting that both artists and customers have grown increasingly frustrated with the ticketing giant's policies.
After receiving substantial backlash, Lefsetz defended his writing in a follow-up post, emphasizing that he was merely posing a question rather than making a suggestion. He explained that his commentary was prompted by recent concerns about CEO safety following the UnitedHealthcare incident.
The controversy comes amid growing scrutiny of Live Nation and Ticketmaster's business practices. The companies currently face an antitrust lawsuit from the Department of Justice and 39 states, challenging their alleged monopolistic control over the concert ticketing industry.
Notable artists have recently taken public stands against Ticketmaster's dynamic pricing system, which adjusts ticket costs based on demand. Broadway icon Andrew Lloyd Webber denounced the practice as "racketeering," while bands like Oasis, Iron Maiden, and The Cure have explicitly opted out of dynamic pricing for their tours.
The incident highlights the ongoing tensions between the entertainment giant and various stakeholders in the music industry, from frustrated fans to concerned artists and government regulators.