Headlines about drugs and abuse charges greatly diminished Michael Jackson's earning potential, an entertainment consultant said. Jackson's album sales dropped sharply from his peak and his "likability" rating turned dramatically negative after "significantly negative headlines, drug abuse and other issues," Eric Briggs testified.
Briggs' testimony in the wrongful death trial of AEG Live is intended to counter an expert hired by Jackson lawyers who concluded the pop icon would have earned another $1.5 billion from world tours had he not died while preparing for his comeback concerts.
AEG Live placed a big bet on Jackson's ability to sell tickets when it signed him to a three-year deal for his "This Is It" tour. While the company worked hard to convince Jackson in 2009 to let them produce and promote the concerts, it paid Briggs more than $700,000 to prepare testimony for this trial questioning Jackson's star power.
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