A recording of a 2021 call between Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino and John Abbamondi, then CEO of Brooklyn’s Barclays Center, captures a dispute over the venue’s planned switch from Ticketmaster to SeatGeek. Near the end, Rapino referred to “a new venue in town.” Was that a threat to make concerts harder to book at Barclays—or a warning about competition from a new arena? The Verge’s report provides the audio and courtroom context, but Abbamondi’s interpretation is not proof of Rapino’s intent.
Listen to the reported call
The Verge reports that the recording was played as a public exhibit for jurors during the first week of trial. The audio begins partway through the conversation, and the comments about the new competitor start at approximately 4:14, according to the report. Listen to the recording as presented in The Verge’s report.
Abbamondi described the voices in his testimony this way: “the nervous guy was me and the angry guy was Michael.” That is Abbamondi’s description, not an independent assessment of the speakers.
What the call was about
The call took place in 2021. Abbamondi told Rapino that Barclays Center planned to move its ticketing from Ticketmaster to SeatGeek. The two sides also disagreed about when their existing contract expired, according to The Verge.
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Near the end of the reported audio, Rapino referred to “a new venue in town.” Abbamondi believed he meant UBS Arena, near Queens. Rapino’s reported explanation was: “What I’ve told you from day one was, it was going to be a tough time to deliver tickets or concerts with a new competitor in town, regardless of ticketing.”
Was it a threat or a reality check?
The key distinction is what Rapino meant by the difficulty he described. One reading is that he was warning Barclays Center that a new competing venue could make it harder to secure tickets or concerts, regardless of which ticketing provider the arena used. Another is that, in the context of Barclays’ planned move away from Ticketmaster and the contract dispute, the remark sounded like a warning that concert access would suffer if the venue switched providers.
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- 23 db Noise Reduction: Comes with 2 sets of 23 db ear plugs in different sizes (small & standard), cutting up an impressive 23 db's of sound volume. You can always have your spare plug in case any plugs are fallen out unfortunately or missing
- Designed For Comfort: Made of high quality silicone material that provides comfort from prolonged usage. They are designed to have an ergonomic curved body that follows the shape of your ear canal, which provides a snag and comfortable fit
- Discrete & Portable: Low-profile design with translucent or frosted shells for a discreet look on stage, at concerts, clubs, or the office. Includes a soft silicone detachable cord and comes in a long-lasting aluminum case with a carabiner, making it easy to clip to belts or bags and keep your plugs secure
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Abbamondi testified that he understood the comment as a “maybe not-so-veiled threat that it would be difficult for them to put concerts at Barclays Center” if the venue stopped working with Ticketmaster. That is his account of how he interpreted the call. The Verge’s report does not establish Rapino’s intent or report a finding that his words were a threat.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the recording does—and does not—establish
- Reported words: Rapino’s quoted explanation links difficulty delivering tickets or concerts to a “new competitor in town” and says it would be so “regardless of ticketing.”
- Context: Barclays planned to switch from Ticketmaster to SeatGeek, and the parties disagreed over the existing contract’s end date.
- Interpretation: Abbamondi testified that he took the remark as a possible threat to concert bookings at Barclays Center.
- Legal status: The Verge reports that the recording was a public trial exhibit. Its report alone does not establish a judicial conclusion about Rapino’s intent or the current status of the litigation.
The account here relies on The Verge’s March 10, 2026 report by Lauren Feiner. The report is the basis for the quoted audio, testimony, and courtroom context; those details should not be treated as an independently verified transcript or ruling.
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