Madonna & Live Nation To 'Defend This Case Vigorously' After Fans File Concert Delays Lawsuit

Madonna’s management team and Live Nation have vowed to “defend this case vigorously” after two fans sued the singer, Live Nation and Barclays Centre after Madonna started their show over two hours late last month.

Last week, Billboard reported that ticket buyers Michael Fellows and Jonathan Hadden alleged “false advertising” and claimed legal harm as they “had to get up early to go to work” after attending a Madonna concert that started after 10:30 pm.

Due to the late finishing times – the show didn’t finish until after 1 am – the pair claimed that they and other concertgoers were “stranded” and “confronted with limited public transportation” options, with rideshare vehicle drivers charging surged prices at that time of night.

The concert (13 December 2023) took place on a Wednesday night, so the lawsuit notes that they “had to get up early to go to work and/or take care of their family responsibilities the next day.”

Live Nation and Barclays Centre are also named defendants in the lawsuit, with Fellows and Hadden alleging negligent misrepresentation.

In a joint statement from Madonna and Live Nation, they responded by citing “rave reviews” about her European Celebration tour and promised to fight the allegations.

“The shows opened in North America at Barclays in Brooklyn as planned, with the exception of a technical issue December 13th during soundcheck,” the statement reads via Billboard. “This caused a delay that was well documented in press reports at the time. We intend to defend this case vigorously.”

In the lawsuit, Fellows and Hadden wrote that Barclays Centre organisers “knew or should have known” that Madonna would come on stage late, referencing previous incidents of the performer allegedly starting concerts late, namely the 2016 Rebel Heart Tour and 2019-2020 Madame X Tour.

The pair also argued that they “would not have paid for their tickets had they known that the concerts would start after 10:30 pm.”