Live Nation is attempting to dismiss a lawsuit brought on by a contractor who alleges the entertainment giant cut ties with him because of his sexual orientation.
The plaintiff, Braden Maurer-Burns, filed the complaint in April 2023 in the Superior Court of Burlington County, New Jersey. According to the suit obtained by Digital Music News, Maurer-Burns’ business, Drag Diva, “helped create and produce drag-related content and shows” and would “regularly contract” with Live Nation to promote the events. While the suit said the events proved to be a “massive commercial success,” Live Nation cut ties with Drag Diva.
Braden Maurer-Burns claimed the company pulled the plug on the commercial relationship because he identifies as a gay man, noting that he allegedly “suffered differential treatment in his contractual relationships based on his sexual orientation.” The filing alleges Live Nation violated New Jersey’s Law Against Discrimination twice: for limiting “the number of LGBT businesses and content [makers] they would contract with,” and for treating Maurer-Burns “differently from other contractors because of his sexual orientation.”
Following a removal notice from Live Nation, the case was moved to a federal court in New Jersey. Now, the company filed a motion to dismiss the complaint, writing that the suit “fails at the most fundamental level” because Maurer-Burns “was not and has never been a party to a contract with Live Nation.” Additionally, Live Nation claims that the suit is not relevant as it was filed past the law’s two-year statue of limitations, as the contract was terminated at the end of 2019.
“Thus, even if Mauer-Burns could somehow establish that he personally had rights under an actual or proposed contractual relationship with Live Nation, any such claim would be definitively time-barred,” Live Nation said in the filing.
Alongside the timing issue, Live Nation also claims the company did not decide against contracting with Maurer-Burns, nor end his contract due to his sexual orientation.
According to the suit, Maurer-Burns is seeking payment for damages, losses, emotional harm, embarrassment and upset, psychological injuries, interest, costs, equitable relief, injunctive relief, and reinstatement. He is also seeking attorney’s fees, costs of the suit, experts’ fees, and punitive damages, among others.