Addressing the potential pending lawsuit from the Department of Justice against Live Nation Tuesday, Live Nation CFO and President Joe Berchtold said the company is about to begin talks with senior division leadership at the DOJ, but that he does not believe separating Live Nation and Ticketmaster will be the end result.
“Based on the issues we know about, we don’t believe a breakup of Live Nation and Ticketmaster would be a legally permissible remedy,” said Live Nation CFO and president Joe Berchtold.
Any lawsuit would typically come after those talks are concluded, he added. But Berchtold reiterated that the company believes the DOJ investigation is more focused on specific business practices, rather than the Live Nation merger with Ticketmaster, which took place in 2010 and was approved by the DOJ.
“Very little of the conduct the DOJ has raised with us relates to the combination of ticketing and promotion resulting from the merger,...
“Based on the issues we know about, we don’t believe a breakup of Live Nation and Ticketmaster would be a legally permissible remedy,” said Live Nation CFO and president Joe Berchtold.
Any lawsuit would typically come after those talks are concluded, he added. But Berchtold reiterated that the company believes the DOJ investigation is more focused on specific business practices, rather than the Live Nation merger with Ticketmaster, which took place in 2010 and was approved by the DOJ.
“Very little of the conduct the DOJ has raised with us relates to the combination of ticketing and promotion resulting from the merger,...
- 5/2/2024
- by Caitlin Huston
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Live Nation may have lied to investors by misattributing its success to the quality of its platform and services instead of allegedly anticompetitive behavior, a federal judge has ruled.
U.S. District Judge Kenly Kato, in an order issued on Monday declining to dismiss a proposed class action lawsuit, found that the ticket giant may have violated securities laws by misrepresenting the scope of its legal troubles for allegedly abusing its market power in the live events industry. The judge concluded that the suit advances “cogent and compelling” allegations that Live Nation executives intentionally chose “not to disclose the full picture” regarding its revenue success or antitrust concerns because they “understood their likely effect on” investigations into its conduct by competition regulators.
Last year, The New York Times reported that the Justice Department had opened an antitrust investigation into Live Nation, which owns Ticketmaster, after the platform’s systems crashed...
U.S. District Judge Kenly Kato, in an order issued on Monday declining to dismiss a proposed class action lawsuit, found that the ticket giant may have violated securities laws by misrepresenting the scope of its legal troubles for allegedly abusing its market power in the live events industry. The judge concluded that the suit advances “cogent and compelling” allegations that Live Nation executives intentionally chose “not to disclose the full picture” regarding its revenue success or antitrust concerns because they “understood their likely effect on” investigations into its conduct by competition regulators.
Last year, The New York Times reported that the Justice Department had opened an antitrust investigation into Live Nation, which owns Ticketmaster, after the platform’s systems crashed...
- 2/27/2024
- by Winston Cho
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Live Nation said it had its biggest year ever in 2023, in terms of both ticket sales and attendance.
For the full year, the entertainment giant, which also owns Ticketmaster, said concert attendance was up 20 percent compared to the prior year, with more than 145 million fans attending more than 50,000 events. Ticketmaster sold 620 million tickets, up 13 percent from 2022.
Across 2023, which included tours from mega artists such as Taylor Swift and Beyoncé, total revenue was up 36 percent, to reach $22.7 billion, and operating income increased 46 percent, to $1.07 billion.
In the fourth quarter, its most recent quarter, which is typically the slowest of the year, Live Nation reported total revenue of $5.8 billion, up 36 percent year-over-year, and operating income of $116.9 million, up 20 percent. Comparatively, in the third quarter, which was the company’s biggest quarter ever and typically the strongest of the year, the company had reported revenue of $8.2 billion and operating income of $619 million, up...
For the full year, the entertainment giant, which also owns Ticketmaster, said concert attendance was up 20 percent compared to the prior year, with more than 145 million fans attending more than 50,000 events. Ticketmaster sold 620 million tickets, up 13 percent from 2022.
Across 2023, which included tours from mega artists such as Taylor Swift and Beyoncé, total revenue was up 36 percent, to reach $22.7 billion, and operating income increased 46 percent, to $1.07 billion.
In the fourth quarter, its most recent quarter, which is typically the slowest of the year, Live Nation reported total revenue of $5.8 billion, up 36 percent year-over-year, and operating income of $116.9 million, up 20 percent. Comparatively, in the third quarter, which was the company’s biggest quarter ever and typically the strongest of the year, the company had reported revenue of $8.2 billion and operating income of $619 million, up...
- 2/22/2024
- by Caitlin Huston
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Updated, with Live Nation response: A Senate subcommittee has subpoenaed Live Nation/Ticketmaster, demanding documents as part of an investigation into exorbitant ticket prices for Taylor Swift, Bruce Springsteen and other concerts.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-ct), who chairs the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, wrote earlier this month to Live Nation Entertainment CEO Michael Rapino and said that, since the investigation was launched in March, the company has “failed to comply” with their requests.
Read the letter to Rapino.
The investigation is looking into ticket pricing, fees and resale practices, among other things. The subscommittee also is seeking records related to Live Nation/Ticketmaster’s “failure to combat artificially inflated demand fueled by bots in multiple, high-profile incidents,” Blumenthal wrote in his letter.
In a statement, Blumenthal said, “This subpoena demands that the company promptly comply with our request for documents essential to understand its business practices. American consumers deserve fair ticket prices,...
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-ct), who chairs the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, wrote earlier this month to Live Nation Entertainment CEO Michael Rapino and said that, since the investigation was launched in March, the company has “failed to comply” with their requests.
Read the letter to Rapino.
The investigation is looking into ticket pricing, fees and resale practices, among other things. The subscommittee also is seeking records related to Live Nation/Ticketmaster’s “failure to combat artificially inflated demand fueled by bots in multiple, high-profile incidents,” Blumenthal wrote in his letter.
In a statement, Blumenthal said, “This subpoena demands that the company promptly comply with our request for documents essential to understand its business practices. American consumers deserve fair ticket prices,...
- 11/20/2023
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
A Senate subcommittee issued a subpoena to live music giant Live Nation Entertainment late last week, seeking documents related to ticket prices and fees listed on Ticketmaster.
The subpoena, obtained by Rolling Stone, comes eight months after the Senate’s Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations first launched an inquiry into Live Nation over the company’s “business practices, including the prices and fees for tickets to live events sold by Live Nation/Ticketmaster,” requesting the documents related to that inquiry on March 24th. That inquiry hadn’t been publicly reported prior to the subpoena filing,...
The subpoena, obtained by Rolling Stone, comes eight months after the Senate’s Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations first launched an inquiry into Live Nation over the company’s “business practices, including the prices and fees for tickets to live events sold by Live Nation/Ticketmaster,” requesting the documents related to that inquiry on March 24th. That inquiry hadn’t been publicly reported prior to the subpoena filing,...
- 11/20/2023
- by Ethan Millman
- Rollingstone.com
Media, entertainment and tech companies held their own in the top 25 ranking of overpaid CEOs in 2022 by nonprofit As You Sow. Live Nation’s Michael Rapino ($139 million pay package) topped the list, which also included Netflix, Paramount Global and Warner Bros Discovery, as well as Charter, Apple and Alphabet.
Overall CEO pay has been front and center this year during a season of record labor unrest from writers and actors to auto workers. We won’t know 2023 pay for most companies until next spring.
The shareholder advocacy group’s ranking of S&P 500 companies, its tenth, is particular as it starts with pay, data that’s been out for months, and calculates what it calls overpay by measuring compensation against three metrics: total shareholder return; the number of shares that are voted against a CEOs pay package at the annual meeting; and the ratio of CEO pay to median worker...
Overall CEO pay has been front and center this year during a season of record labor unrest from writers and actors to auto workers. We won’t know 2023 pay for most companies until next spring.
The shareholder advocacy group’s ranking of S&P 500 companies, its tenth, is particular as it starts with pay, data that’s been out for months, and calculates what it calls overpay by measuring compensation against three metrics: total shareholder return; the number of shares that are voted against a CEOs pay package at the annual meeting; and the ratio of CEO pay to median worker...
- 11/15/2023
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
A Live Nation Entertainment shareholder has sued the company as well as the individual members of its board of directors over clams that the ticket and concert promotion giant intentionally misled them and failed to disclose anticompetitive practices.
Mark Zwick, who claimed to be a current investor in Live Nation, filed a suit in federal court in California on Friday, bringing forward similar allegations as were included in a separate class action lawsuit filed in federal court three months ago.
The new suit referenced the previous class action as well...
Mark Zwick, who claimed to be a current investor in Live Nation, filed a suit in federal court in California on Friday, bringing forward similar allegations as were included in a separate class action lawsuit filed in federal court three months ago.
The new suit referenced the previous class action as well...
- 11/10/2023
- by Ethan Millman
- Rollingstone.com
Live Nation reported its biggest quarter ever, with revenue up 32 percent year-over-year and a record number of tickets sold year-to-date.
In the third quarter, which is typically the strongest quarter of the year, the company reported revenue of $8.2 billion and operating income of $619 million, up 22 percent compared to last year.
Live Nation reported 140 million tickets sold for Live Nation shows so far this year, up 17 percent year-over-year and above the full year 2022 total of 121 million. Concert revenue was up 32 percent in the third quarter, reaching $7 billion.
On the Ticketmaster side, the company has sold 257 million fee-bearing tickets year-to-date, up 22 percent year-over-year. In the third quarter, the company sold 90 million of those fee bearing tickets and revenue in the segment was up 57 percent year-over-year to reach $833 million.
Going into 2024, Live Nation expects continued momentum, helped by a strong concert calendar and with expected show count for large venues up double digits so far.
In the third quarter, which is typically the strongest quarter of the year, the company reported revenue of $8.2 billion and operating income of $619 million, up 22 percent compared to last year.
Live Nation reported 140 million tickets sold for Live Nation shows so far this year, up 17 percent year-over-year and above the full year 2022 total of 121 million. Concert revenue was up 32 percent in the third quarter, reaching $7 billion.
On the Ticketmaster side, the company has sold 257 million fee-bearing tickets year-to-date, up 22 percent year-over-year. In the third quarter, the company sold 90 million of those fee bearing tickets and revenue in the segment was up 57 percent year-over-year to reach $833 million.
Going into 2024, Live Nation expects continued momentum, helped by a strong concert calendar and with expected show count for large venues up double digits so far.
- 11/2/2023
- by Caitlin Huston
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Music fans can subscribe to the concert platform for as little as $11.99 per month.
There is nothing like being at a venue, crammed together with hundreds or thousands of fellow sweaty revelers, screaming the lyrics to your favorite song at the top of your lungs. Now, whether the fact that there is nothing like attending a sold-out concert is a good thing or not will clearly vary by person. However, if you love a good show, but don’t always enjoy the experience of trekking to the club or arena, paying to park, and dealing with the hoards of people, then Veeps might be right up your alley; and thanks to a recent announcement, the streamer is making it even easier to get all of the concert action you could want
The concert-focused streaming service includes live and on-demand shows from some of the biggest musical acts in the world.
There is nothing like being at a venue, crammed together with hundreds or thousands of fellow sweaty revelers, screaming the lyrics to your favorite song at the top of your lungs. Now, whether the fact that there is nothing like attending a sold-out concert is a good thing or not will clearly vary by person. However, if you love a good show, but don’t always enjoy the experience of trekking to the club or arena, paying to park, and dealing with the hoards of people, then Veeps might be right up your alley; and thanks to a recent announcement, the streamer is making it even easier to get all of the concert action you could want
The concert-focused streaming service includes live and on-demand shows from some of the biggest musical acts in the world.
- 10/18/2023
- by Matt Tamanini
- The Streamable
Timed perfectly to Friday’s harvest moon that illuminated the dusty Las Vegas skyline, Sphere — Madison Square Garden’s epic $2.3 billion immersive live entertainment venue and the world’s largest spherical structure — opened its doors for the first time. Joining the packed house of 20,000 attendees, a parade of music-loving celebrities made their way to the technological marvel for the main event, the debut of U2:uv Achtung Baby Live At Sphere. A-listers also gawked at the visionary achievement of Jim Dolan, Msg Entertainment and Sphere Entertainment executive chairman and CEO.
Aaron Paul, Andre Agassi, Bryan Cranston, Connie Britton, Dakota Fanning, Darren Aronofsky, Diplo, Elizabeth Banks, Jon Hamm, Josh Duhamel, Jane Seymour, Luke Wilson, Maria Sharapova, Mario Lopez, Oscar De La Hoya, Skylar Astin and Steffi Graf made appearances on the carpet. Inside, Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom watched the show alongside Lauren Sanchez and Jeff Bezos. From the stage, Bono name-checked Paul McCartney,...
Aaron Paul, Andre Agassi, Bryan Cranston, Connie Britton, Dakota Fanning, Darren Aronofsky, Diplo, Elizabeth Banks, Jon Hamm, Josh Duhamel, Jane Seymour, Luke Wilson, Maria Sharapova, Mario Lopez, Oscar De La Hoya, Skylar Astin and Steffi Graf made appearances on the carpet. Inside, Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom watched the show alongside Lauren Sanchez and Jeff Bezos. From the stage, Bono name-checked Paul McCartney,...
- 9/30/2023
- by Melinda Sheckells
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Live Nation has announced it will no longer take cuts of merchandise sold by artists playing any of its club-sized venues. What’s more, through the end of the year, the company will offer $1,500 stipends per show to all headlining and support acts.
The decision arrives as part of a new developing-artist program the company has launched with country legend, Willie Nelson. The program, dubbed “On the Road Again” in honor of Nelson, is designed to give a helping hand to smaller, developing artists, who have faced increased economic difficulties in recent years. Now, not only have merchandise fees — which have been known to eat up to 15% – 30% of an artist’s merch sales — been removed, but artists will receive an additional $1,500 stipend to cover “gas and travel,” and crews, local promoters, tour reps, and more will all be doled out unspecified bonuses.
Live Nation has indicated that the program will...
The decision arrives as part of a new developing-artist program the company has launched with country legend, Willie Nelson. The program, dubbed “On the Road Again” in honor of Nelson, is designed to give a helping hand to smaller, developing artists, who have faced increased economic difficulties in recent years. Now, not only have merchandise fees — which have been known to eat up to 15% – 30% of an artist’s merch sales — been removed, but artists will receive an additional $1,500 stipend to cover “gas and travel,” and crews, local promoters, tour reps, and more will all be doled out unspecified bonuses.
Live Nation has indicated that the program will...
- 9/26/2023
- by Jo Vito
- Consequence - Music
Shareholders in Live Nation Entertainment are being invited to join a class action lawsuit filed earlier this month accusing the ticketing company of failing to disclose anticompetitive company operations.
New York-based firm Bernstein Liebhard’s lawsuit — filed on August 4 in California Federal Court — alleges that Live Nation “failed to disclose to investors that Live Nation engaged in anticompetitive conduct, including charging high fees and extended contracts with talent, and retaliated against venues,” and that the company also didn’t reveal that the company “was reasonably likely to incur regulatory scrutiny and face fines,...
New York-based firm Bernstein Liebhard’s lawsuit — filed on August 4 in California Federal Court — alleges that Live Nation “failed to disclose to investors that Live Nation engaged in anticompetitive conduct, including charging high fees and extended contracts with talent, and retaliated against venues,” and that the company also didn’t reveal that the company “was reasonably likely to incur regulatory scrutiny and face fines,...
- 8/9/2023
- by Ethan Millman
- Rollingstone.com
Several law firms are investigating whether Live Nation lied to investors by failing to disclose the scope of its legal vulnerability for allegedly abusing its power in the live music industry.
New York-based firm Bernstein Liebhard sent out a notice on Tuesday soliciting investors to join a lawsuit that was filed last week against Live Nation, with three others already having done the same in the wake of reports that the Department of Justice plans to sue the company for antitrust violations. In a class action filed on Aug. 4 in California federal court, investors accused the company of lying to them about allegedly anticompetitive company operations that include charging bloated fees, bundling services and retaliating against venues that choose a ticketing service provider other than Ticketmaster.
Last year, The New York Times reported that the Justice Department had opened an antitrust investigation into Live Nation, which owns Ticketmaster, after the...
New York-based firm Bernstein Liebhard sent out a notice on Tuesday soliciting investors to join a lawsuit that was filed last week against Live Nation, with three others already having done the same in the wake of reports that the Department of Justice plans to sue the company for antitrust violations. In a class action filed on Aug. 4 in California federal court, investors accused the company of lying to them about allegedly anticompetitive company operations that include charging bloated fees, bundling services and retaliating against venues that choose a ticketing service provider other than Ticketmaster.
Last year, The New York Times reported that the Justice Department had opened an antitrust investigation into Live Nation, which owns Ticketmaster, after the...
- 8/8/2023
- by Winston Cho
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Live Nation reported its strongest second quarter ever, as concert demand continues to propel its results.
The company, which also owns Ticketmaster, reported revenue of $5.6 billion for its second quarter, up 27 percent from the $4.4 billion reported a year ago. Operating income reached $386.4 million, up from $319 million a year ago, while earnings per share came in at $1.02, up from 66 cents a year ago and above Wall Street expectations.
Attendance at stadiums was up 28 percent from a year ago, reaching 8 million fans, while arena attendance was up 19 percent, reaching 10.7 million fans. Revenue at Ticketmaster was up 23 percent, reaching $709 million, compared to $575.3 million in Q2 of 2022.
The company reported more than 117 million tickets sold for Live Nation shows so far this year, which is up 20 percent year-over-year.
“Live music is bigger than ever, with global demand driving the industry to record levels. There’s a more diverse pipeline of artists breaking from all corners of the world,...
The company, which also owns Ticketmaster, reported revenue of $5.6 billion for its second quarter, up 27 percent from the $4.4 billion reported a year ago. Operating income reached $386.4 million, up from $319 million a year ago, while earnings per share came in at $1.02, up from 66 cents a year ago and above Wall Street expectations.
Attendance at stadiums was up 28 percent from a year ago, reaching 8 million fans, while arena attendance was up 19 percent, reaching 10.7 million fans. Revenue at Ticketmaster was up 23 percent, reaching $709 million, compared to $575.3 million in Q2 of 2022.
The company reported more than 117 million tickets sold for Live Nation shows so far this year, which is up 20 percent year-over-year.
“Live music is bigger than ever, with global demand driving the industry to record levels. There’s a more diverse pipeline of artists breaking from all corners of the world,...
- 7/27/2023
- by Caitlin Huston
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino discussed the recent controversy surrounding The Cure’s ticket on sale and a host of other topics during an appearance on The Bob Lefsetz Podcast.
For their upcoming North American tour, The Cure opted out of Ticketmaster’s “platinum” and “dynamically priced” ticket options, and restricted ticket transfers in markets where the band was legally allowed to do so. Even so, frontman Robert Smith discovered the system to be “far from perfect,” as numerous tickets still ended up on the secondary market, while those fans who were able to purchase tickets complained of excessive transaction fees. Smith ultimately compelled Ticketmaster to offer fans a reimbursement of $5-10.
“We were proud of Ticketmaster’s side,” Rapino said. “We did a ton of work with Robert, making sure [tickets] were non-transferable, that it would be a face value [ticket] exchange and verified, doing all we could to put all...
For their upcoming North American tour, The Cure opted out of Ticketmaster’s “platinum” and “dynamically priced” ticket options, and restricted ticket transfers in markets where the band was legally allowed to do so. Even so, frontman Robert Smith discovered the system to be “far from perfect,” as numerous tickets still ended up on the secondary market, while those fans who were able to purchase tickets complained of excessive transaction fees. Smith ultimately compelled Ticketmaster to offer fans a reimbursement of $5-10.
“We were proud of Ticketmaster’s side,” Rapino said. “We did a ton of work with Robert, making sure [tickets] were non-transferable, that it would be a face value [ticket] exchange and verified, doing all we could to put all...
- 5/1/2023
- by Scoop Harrison
- Consequence - Music
Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino’s total compensation package rose to $139 million in 2022, up from $13.8 million the previous year.
Rapino’s compensation included a base salary of $3 million, up from $2.6 million in 2021 (which came as Rapino agreed to take a pay reduction during the pandemic). Live Nation entered into a new employment agreement with Rapino in July 2022, ending Dec. 31, 2027, which meant he also earned a $6 million signing bonus.
The executive also earned a $12 million annual cash performance bonus for 2022 and stock awards of $116 million, some of which vest in early 2024, while others vest in four installments through 2027 if the company reaches certain stock price targets.
CFO Joe Berchtold also saw his overall compensation jump to $52.4 million in 2022, up from $5 million the prior year. His base salary increased slightly to $1.3 million from $1.1 million, and he also earned a signing bonus of $6 million and an annual cash performance bonus of $2.5 million. Berchtold received $42.4 million in stock awards.
Rapino’s compensation included a base salary of $3 million, up from $2.6 million in 2021 (which came as Rapino agreed to take a pay reduction during the pandemic). Live Nation entered into a new employment agreement with Rapino in July 2022, ending Dec. 31, 2027, which meant he also earned a $6 million signing bonus.
The executive also earned a $12 million annual cash performance bonus for 2022 and stock awards of $116 million, some of which vest in early 2024, while others vest in four installments through 2027 if the company reaches certain stock price targets.
CFO Joe Berchtold also saw his overall compensation jump to $52.4 million in 2022, up from $5 million the prior year. His base salary increased slightly to $1.3 million from $1.1 million, and he also earned a signing bonus of $6 million and an annual cash performance bonus of $2.5 million. Berchtold received $42.4 million in stock awards.
- 4/28/2023
- by Caitlin Huston
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Live Nation is adding Klutch Sports Group founder and UTA’s head of sports Rich Paul to its board of directors.
The live events promoter and Ticketmaster owner announced Paul’s appointment Thursday afternoon. He joins a number of high-profile media execs on the board, including Disney’s Dana Walden, SpringHill co-founder Maverick Carter, and music icon Jimmy Iovine.
A former CAA agent, Paul founded Klutch Sports Group in 2012. UTA made a significant investment in 2019, bringing him into their fold, and he was named to UTA’s board a year later. His clients include NBA stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Paul is also the boyfriend of singer Adele, whose Las Vegas residency is backed in part by Live Nation.
“Rich understands what it takes to help talent develop a long and successful career. His input will be a great addition as we continue driving more value for artists and their fans through live shows,...
The live events promoter and Ticketmaster owner announced Paul’s appointment Thursday afternoon. He joins a number of high-profile media execs on the board, including Disney’s Dana Walden, SpringHill co-founder Maverick Carter, and music icon Jimmy Iovine.
A former CAA agent, Paul founded Klutch Sports Group in 2012. UTA made a significant investment in 2019, bringing him into their fold, and he was named to UTA’s board a year later. His clients include NBA stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Paul is also the boyfriend of singer Adele, whose Las Vegas residency is backed in part by Live Nation.
“Rich understands what it takes to help talent develop a long and successful career. His input will be a great addition as we continue driving more value for artists and their fans through live shows,...
- 4/13/2023
- by Alex Weprin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
HBO Documentary Films’ Moonage Daydream, from Academy Award®-nominated and Emmy®-winning filmmaker Brett Morgen (HBO’s “Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck”), debuts Saturday, April 29 (8:00-10:15 p.m. Et/Pt) on HBO and will be available to stream on HBO Max.
Moonage Daydream illuminates the life and genius of David Bowie, one of the most prolific and influential artists of our time. Guided by Bowie’s own narration and told through sublime, kaleidoscopic, never-before-seen footage, performances, and music, this feature length experiential cinematic odyssey explores his creative, musical, and spiritual journey.
In 2018, Morgen was granted unprecedented access to Bowie’s archives encompassing a lifetime of materials, including an extensive catalog of unseen footage and personal collection of his own art and poetry. He spent four years assembling the film and another 18 months designing the soundscape, animations, and color palette while working with Bowie’s long-time collaborator, friend, and...
Moonage Daydream illuminates the life and genius of David Bowie, one of the most prolific and influential artists of our time. Guided by Bowie’s own narration and told through sublime, kaleidoscopic, never-before-seen footage, performances, and music, this feature length experiential cinematic odyssey explores his creative, musical, and spiritual journey.
In 2018, Morgen was granted unprecedented access to Bowie’s archives encompassing a lifetime of materials, including an extensive catalog of unseen footage and personal collection of his own art and poetry. He spent four years assembling the film and another 18 months designing the soundscape, animations, and color palette while working with Bowie’s long-time collaborator, friend, and...
- 4/6/2023
- by TV Shows Martin Cid Magazine
- Martin Cid - TV
The inflated prices for Drake’s “It’s All a Blur Tour” with 21 Savage have led to the initiation of the latest class-action lawsuit against Ticketmaster.
Per the Toronto Star, the law firm Lpc Avocat Inc. has filed a lawsuit claiming the ticket giant “intentionally misleads consumers for their own financial gain” on behalf of a Montreal man who says he purchased a pair of “Official Platinum” tickets for the July 14th show at Bell Centre for $789.54 each. The next day, the same seats were priced at $350 after Drake announced a second show at the venue.
“Ticketmaster unilaterally decides which tickets it advertises and sells as ‘Official Platinum’ based on a given event,” Lpc Avocat Inc. wrote in the application for the class-action lawsuit. “The result is that most, if not all, of the tickets advertised and sold as ‘Official Platinum’ are neither ‘premium tickets’ nor ‘some of the best...
Per the Toronto Star, the law firm Lpc Avocat Inc. has filed a lawsuit claiming the ticket giant “intentionally misleads consumers for their own financial gain” on behalf of a Montreal man who says he purchased a pair of “Official Platinum” tickets for the July 14th show at Bell Centre for $789.54 each. The next day, the same seats were priced at $350 after Drake announced a second show at the venue.
“Ticketmaster unilaterally decides which tickets it advertises and sells as ‘Official Platinum’ based on a given event,” Lpc Avocat Inc. wrote in the application for the class-action lawsuit. “The result is that most, if not all, of the tickets advertised and sold as ‘Official Platinum’ are neither ‘premium tickets’ nor ‘some of the best...
- 3/24/2023
- by Eddie Fu
- Consequence - Music
Ticketmaster appears to have landed on a new approach to address 2022’s tumultuous streak of ticketing controversies, which culminated in a public hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee to answer for Taylor Swift’s “Eras Tour” pre-sale.
According to Billboard, the live entertainment giant’s plan “starts with the fees,” but also includes an intensified crackdown on ticket scalping as well as outreach and education about the source of their additional charges.
“We all want to know what is the true cost to see the show when we start shopping,” Live Nation President and CEO Michael Rapino shared on a recent investor call. He also said he wished that transparent ticket pricing was “mandated tomorrow across the board” in order to “relieve a lot of the stress [and] the consumer’s perception that there’s this magical extra fee added on.”
“We’ve got to now go out and do a...
According to Billboard, the live entertainment giant’s plan “starts with the fees,” but also includes an intensified crackdown on ticket scalping as well as outreach and education about the source of their additional charges.
“We all want to know what is the true cost to see the show when we start shopping,” Live Nation President and CEO Michael Rapino shared on a recent investor call. He also said he wished that transparent ticket pricing was “mandated tomorrow across the board” in order to “relieve a lot of the stress [and] the consumer’s perception that there’s this magical extra fee added on.”
“We’ve got to now go out and do a...
- 3/10/2023
- by Bryan Kress
- Consequence - Music
As Live Nation Entertainment faces continued criticism from fans and lawmakers over its place in the ticketing marketplace, on Thursday the company called on Congress to pass legislation to crack down on scalpers and ticket resale. The company is looking to broaden the conversation regarding ticketing reform beyond potential issues with Ticketmaster itself toward the secondary market.
Pushing for a “Fair Ticketing act,” Live Nation — owner of both the eponymous live music promoter as well as ticketing giant Ticketmaster — is advocating for federal laws that could weaken scalpers’ ability to...
Pushing for a “Fair Ticketing act,” Live Nation — owner of both the eponymous live music promoter as well as ticketing giant Ticketmaster — is advocating for federal laws that could weaken scalpers’ ability to...
- 2/24/2023
- by Ethan Millman
- Rollingstone.com
Live Nation continues to see fans flock to its concerts and events, as overall fourth quarter revenues rose 59 percent to $4.29 billion.
The Ticketmaster and Roc Nation owner posted a fourth quarter operating loss of $119.9 million, compared to a year-earlier operating loss of $124.5 million. For full year 2022, Live Nation reported more than 121 million patrons attended around 43,600 events, as total full year revenues rose 44 percent to $16.7 billion.
In the three months to Dec. 31, 2022, the Ticketmaster parent recorded overall concert revenue of $3.39 billion, against a year-earlier $2.04 billion, as Live Nation pointed to a continuing post-pandemic recovery in concert-going, most prominently in key international festival markets like the UK, the rest of Europe and Latin America.
During the fourth quarter, Live Nation posted $651.3 million in ticketing revenues, against a year-earlier $487.7 million. In the current financial quarter and the rest of 2023, Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino told analysts during an after-market call that concert ticket sales in the U.
The Ticketmaster and Roc Nation owner posted a fourth quarter operating loss of $119.9 million, compared to a year-earlier operating loss of $124.5 million. For full year 2022, Live Nation reported more than 121 million patrons attended around 43,600 events, as total full year revenues rose 44 percent to $16.7 billion.
In the three months to Dec. 31, 2022, the Ticketmaster parent recorded overall concert revenue of $3.39 billion, against a year-earlier $2.04 billion, as Live Nation pointed to a continuing post-pandemic recovery in concert-going, most prominently in key international festival markets like the UK, the rest of Europe and Latin America.
During the fourth quarter, Live Nation posted $651.3 million in ticketing revenues, against a year-earlier $487.7 million. In the current financial quarter and the rest of 2023, Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino told analysts during an after-market call that concert ticket sales in the U.
- 2/23/2023
- by Etan Vlessing
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Ticketmaster is back in the spotlight, as tickets for Beyoncé’s upcoming Renaissance tour go on sale on the platform in the coming days.
This will be a big test for the ticketing giant, following the long wait times and technical glitches the site experienced during the presales for Taylor Swift’s tour in November. The issues sparked congressional pushback and hearings, vitriol among fans, several of whom filed a lawsuit against the ticketing giant, and pushback from Swift, who said she had been assured the platform could “handle this kind of demand.”
In his statement during the Jan. 24 congressional hearing on the matter, Live Nation President and CFO Joe Berchtold blamed bots and cyber attacks for the problems during the Swift’s presale. The bots failed to acquire tickets, he said, but dealing with the attacks slowed down the site. He promised the company would do better.
“The recent onsale experience with Taylor Swift,...
This will be a big test for the ticketing giant, following the long wait times and technical glitches the site experienced during the presales for Taylor Swift’s tour in November. The issues sparked congressional pushback and hearings, vitriol among fans, several of whom filed a lawsuit against the ticketing giant, and pushback from Swift, who said she had been assured the platform could “handle this kind of demand.”
In his statement during the Jan. 24 congressional hearing on the matter, Live Nation President and CFO Joe Berchtold blamed bots and cyber attacks for the problems during the Swift’s presale. The bots failed to acquire tickets, he said, but dealing with the attacks slowed down the site. He promised the company would do better.
“The recent onsale experience with Taylor Swift,...
- 2/2/2023
- by Caitlin Huston
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
We knew she was trouble when she walked in…Ticketmaster, Live Nation, and Taylor Swift are now at the center of a senate hearing due to the singer’s latest tour proving to be an absolute nightmare to get tickets to, as hours-plus-long queues and system outages locked out even her most die-hard fans–like, the ones who sat through Cats.
Hearings began this week, with the debacle over Taylor Swift and her Eras tour–the U.S. leg launches in March–serving as a major catalyst. However, it’s obviously not Swift coming under fire but rather the practices allegedly promoted by Live Nation and Ticketmaster. Due to the extremely high demand–Swift reportedly sold more tickets in one day than anyone else in music history (although we’re not expecting her directorial debut to smash many records)–the Ticketmaster public sale was canceled, an unprecedented move that left...
Hearings began this week, with the debacle over Taylor Swift and her Eras tour–the U.S. leg launches in March–serving as a major catalyst. However, it’s obviously not Swift coming under fire but rather the practices allegedly promoted by Live Nation and Ticketmaster. Due to the extremely high demand–Swift reportedly sold more tickets in one day than anyone else in music history (although we’re not expecting her directorial debut to smash many records)–the Ticketmaster public sale was canceled, an unprecedented move that left...
- 1/25/2023
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
At the height of Live Nation and Ticketmaster’s latest controversy over the disastrous ticket on-sale for Taylor Swift’s upcoming “Eras” tour — a kerfuffle that once again brought into question what some have called the anticompetitive nature of tickets and the live music business — few politicians were as vocal or critical of the live events giant as Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn). Last November, Klobuchar, who chairs the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Competition Policy, Antitrust, and Consumer Rights, penned a letter to Live Nation Entertainment CEO Michael Rapino, demanding Rapino...
- 1/23/2023
- by Ethan Millman
- Rollingstone.com
The crash of Ticketmaster’s website amid an overload of demand for Taylor Swift tickets has led to a Senate hearing, as lawmakers seize on the incident to scrutinize a host of business practices in the ticketing industry.
The full Senate Judiciary Committee has scheduled a hearing for next Tuesday — That’s The Ticket: Promoting Competition and Protecting Consumers in Live Entertainment — following the November debacle in which Swift fans were locked out of presales and a public sale was canceled.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Mn), who chairs the antitrust subcommittee, said in a statement that “the issues within America’s ticketing industry were made painfully obvious when Ticketmaster’s website failed hundreds of thousands of fans hoping to purchase tickets for Taylor Swift’s new tour, but these problems are not new. For too long consumers have faced high fees, long waits and website failures, and Ticketmaster’s dominant...
The full Senate Judiciary Committee has scheduled a hearing for next Tuesday — That’s The Ticket: Promoting Competition and Protecting Consumers in Live Entertainment — following the November debacle in which Swift fans were locked out of presales and a public sale was canceled.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Mn), who chairs the antitrust subcommittee, said in a statement that “the issues within America’s ticketing industry were made painfully obvious when Ticketmaster’s website failed hundreds of thousands of fans hoping to purchase tickets for Taylor Swift’s new tour, but these problems are not new. For too long consumers have faced high fees, long waits and website failures, and Ticketmaster’s dominant...
- 1/18/2023
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
Click here to read the full article.
Taylor Swift’s Eras tour fiasco at Ticketmaster in November may have shined a light on a larger issue. A Senate antitrust and consumer rights subcommittee says it will be holding a hearing — on a date to be determined — on concert ticket sales following the debacle.
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-mn) and Mike Lee (R-Ut) say they will be looking into the lack of competition in the ticketing industry. “The high fees, site disruptions and cancellations that customers experienced shows how Ticketmaster’s dominant market position means the company does not face any pressure to continually innovate and improve,” says Klobuchar.
On Nov. 15, Ticketmaster experienced issues and site slowdowns during Swift’s presale for verified fans. The company sold two million tickets during the presale but continued to have problems the following days, which resulted in Ticketmaster canceling the general sale,...
Taylor Swift’s Eras tour fiasco at Ticketmaster in November may have shined a light on a larger issue. A Senate antitrust and consumer rights subcommittee says it will be holding a hearing — on a date to be determined — on concert ticket sales following the debacle.
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-mn) and Mike Lee (R-Ut) say they will be looking into the lack of competition in the ticketing industry. “The high fees, site disruptions and cancellations that customers experienced shows how Ticketmaster’s dominant market position means the company does not face any pressure to continually innovate and improve,” says Klobuchar.
On Nov. 15, Ticketmaster experienced issues and site slowdowns during Swift’s presale for verified fans. The company sold two million tickets during the presale but continued to have problems the following days, which resulted in Ticketmaster canceling the general sale,...
- 11/23/2022
- by Carly Thomas
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Update: Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) is following through on plans to hold a U.S. Senate antitrust panel hearing into the lack of competition in the ticketing industry. Public outrcry over the issue has reached a crescendo in recent days after the fiasco of Ticketmaster’s chaotic handling of the upcoming Taylor Swift tour.
“The high fees, site disruptions and cancellations that customers experienced shows how Ticketmaster’s dominant market position means the company does not face any pressure to continually innovate and improve,” said Klobuchar, chair of the antitrust panel, in a statement Tuesday. “We will hold a hearing on how consolidation in the live entertainment and ticketing industry harms customers and artists alike.”
Neither Klobuchar nor Republican panel member Sen. Mike Lee disclosed a hearing date or specified potential witnesses, according to Reuters.
Ticketmaster responded in a statement that it continues to abide by a 2010 consent decree with the Justice Department,...
“The high fees, site disruptions and cancellations that customers experienced shows how Ticketmaster’s dominant market position means the company does not face any pressure to continually innovate and improve,” said Klobuchar, chair of the antitrust panel, in a statement Tuesday. “We will hold a hearing on how consolidation in the live entertainment and ticketing industry harms customers and artists alike.”
Neither Klobuchar nor Republican panel member Sen. Mike Lee disclosed a hearing date or specified potential witnesses, according to Reuters.
Ticketmaster responded in a statement that it continues to abide by a 2010 consent decree with the Justice Department,...
- 11/23/2022
- by Bruce Haring and Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
“There’s no nice way to tell 10 million Swifties, ‘There are no tickets,’” said Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino a day after the company’s colossal failure to deliver Taylor Swift tickets to fans who hoped to see her Eras Tour. He added: “So they do what they do and they go to social, and we deal with that every day.”
But angry Swifties aren’t Rapino’s only concern. As its platform was melting down under the unprecedented demand for Swift tickets, news broke that a Department of Justice...
But angry Swifties aren’t Rapino’s only concern. As its platform was melting down under the unprecedented demand for Swift tickets, news broke that a Department of Justice...
- 11/23/2022
- by Krista Brown
- Rollingstone.com
Live Nation and Ticketmaster are once again facing severe backlash from music fans, this time following the disastrous on-sale period for Taylor Swift’s upcoming Eras tour that left thousands of Swifties angry as Ticketmaster’s website glitched and crashed due to the overwhelming demand for tickets.
Customers lamented the same issues they’ve had for years with Ticketmaster, drawing in attention from politicians who are looking for answers. Last week, Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) sent a letter to Live Nation entertainment CEO Michael Rapino voicing her antitrust concerns. Last Friday,...
Customers lamented the same issues they’ve had for years with Ticketmaster, drawing in attention from politicians who are looking for answers. Last week, Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) sent a letter to Live Nation entertainment CEO Michael Rapino voicing her antitrust concerns. Last Friday,...
- 11/22/2022
- by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
- Rollingstone.com
Click here to read the full article.
The breakdown in Ticketmaster’s sales of Taylor Swift tickets is a mess some attorneys general aren’t shaking off.
With fans sharing outrage and heartache over the fruitless hours they spent trying for seats for Swift’s upcoming concert tour, top legal chiefs in Nevada, Tennessee and Pennsylvania have launched investigations into the fiasco.
“Trouble, trouble, trouble,” tweeted Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro in a reference to Swift’s 2012 hit song ‘I Knew You Were Trouble’ as he asked the public to file complaints about using Ticketmaster with his office.
Shapiro, a Democrat who recently won Pennsylvania’s governor race, has since thanked people for their “swift response” while noting his office had received “a lot of complaints” to look into.
Over in Tennessee, Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti said he wants to ensure consumers have a fair shot at buying tickets.
“There...
The breakdown in Ticketmaster’s sales of Taylor Swift tickets is a mess some attorneys general aren’t shaking off.
With fans sharing outrage and heartache over the fruitless hours they spent trying for seats for Swift’s upcoming concert tour, top legal chiefs in Nevada, Tennessee and Pennsylvania have launched investigations into the fiasco.
“Trouble, trouble, trouble,” tweeted Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro in a reference to Swift’s 2012 hit song ‘I Knew You Were Trouble’ as he asked the public to file complaints about using Ticketmaster with his office.
Shapiro, a Democrat who recently won Pennsylvania’s governor race, has since thanked people for their “swift response” while noting his office had received “a lot of complaints” to look into.
Over in Tennessee, Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti said he wants to ensure consumers have a fair shot at buying tickets.
“There...
- 11/20/2022
- by the Associated Press
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Hours after Taylor Swift blasted Ticketmaster over the disastrous ticket rollout for The Eras Tour, the company issued an apology to both the singer and her fans.
“We strive to make ticket buying as easy as possible for fans, but that hasn’t been the case for many people trying to buy tickets for Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour,” the company said in a statement Friday night.
“First, we want to apologize to Taylor and all of her fans – especially those who had a terrible experience trying to purchase tickets.
“We strive to make ticket buying as easy as possible for fans, but that hasn’t been the case for many people trying to buy tickets for Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour,” the company said in a statement Friday night.
“First, we want to apologize to Taylor and all of her fans – especially those who had a terrible experience trying to purchase tickets.
- 11/19/2022
- by Daniel Kreps
- Rollingstone.com
The Justice Department is investigating whether Ticketmaster’s parent company Live Nation has abused its power as the dominant force in the live music industry, The New York Times reports.
News of the investigation broke at the end of a chaotic week for Ticketmaster, which was unable to handle the massive demand for tickets for Taylor Swift’s “Eras Tour.” The Swift debacle, however, is just the latest instance where Ticketmaster/Live Nation has garnered scrutiny, with similar chaos and frustrations over wait times and price mark-ups surrounding ticket sales...
News of the investigation broke at the end of a chaotic week for Ticketmaster, which was unable to handle the massive demand for tickets for Taylor Swift’s “Eras Tour.” The Swift debacle, however, is just the latest instance where Ticketmaster/Live Nation has garnered scrutiny, with similar chaos and frustrations over wait times and price mark-ups surrounding ticket sales...
- 11/18/2022
- by Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
Live Nation Entertainment, the parent company of Ticketmaster, is the focus of an antitrust investigation that predates the Taylor Swift ticket snafu this week, according to a report.
The investigation, according to The New York Times, is focusing on whether the company has abused its market power in the live events business.
Lawmakers on Capitol Hill already have been calling for closer scrutiny of Live Nation’s business practices. And in the wake of Ticketmaster’s website breakdown during ticket pre-sales earlier this week, Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Mn) fired off a letter to Live Nation Entertainment CEO Michael Rapino expressing “serious concerns about the state of competition in the ticketing industry and its harmful impact on consumers.”
A DOJ spokesperson declined comment. A Live Nation spokesperson also did not have comment.
Live Nation is under a consent decree from its 2010 merger with Ticketmaster, put in place as part of...
The investigation, according to The New York Times, is focusing on whether the company has abused its market power in the live events business.
Lawmakers on Capitol Hill already have been calling for closer scrutiny of Live Nation’s business practices. And in the wake of Ticketmaster’s website breakdown during ticket pre-sales earlier this week, Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Mn) fired off a letter to Live Nation Entertainment CEO Michael Rapino expressing “serious concerns about the state of competition in the ticketing industry and its harmful impact on consumers.”
A DOJ spokesperson declined comment. A Live Nation spokesperson also did not have comment.
Live Nation is under a consent decree from its 2010 merger with Ticketmaster, put in place as part of...
- 11/18/2022
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
Click here to read the full article.
Taylor Swift is speaking out against Ticketmaster after fans experienced problems buying tickets to her upcoming Eras tour.
Ticketmaster experienced errors and site slowdowns on Tuesday during its Taylor Swift presale for verified fans. The site sold 2 million tickets during the presale, a record for a single artist in a day, but continued to experience technical issues with its Capital One sale Wednesday due to high demand. Ticketmaster then canceled the general sale Friday “due to extraordinarily high demands on ticketing systems and insufficient remaining ticket inventory to meet that demand.”
“I’m not going to make excuses for anyone because we asked them, multiple times, if they could handle this kind of demand and we were assured they could,” Swift wrote on Instagram. “It’s truly amazing that 2.4 million people got tickets, but it really pisses me off that a lot of...
Taylor Swift is speaking out against Ticketmaster after fans experienced problems buying tickets to her upcoming Eras tour.
Ticketmaster experienced errors and site slowdowns on Tuesday during its Taylor Swift presale for verified fans. The site sold 2 million tickets during the presale, a record for a single artist in a day, but continued to experience technical issues with its Capital One sale Wednesday due to high demand. Ticketmaster then canceled the general sale Friday “due to extraordinarily high demands on ticketing systems and insufficient remaining ticket inventory to meet that demand.”
“I’m not going to make excuses for anyone because we asked them, multiple times, if they could handle this kind of demand and we were assured they could,” Swift wrote on Instagram. “It’s truly amazing that 2.4 million people got tickets, but it really pisses me off that a lot of...
- 11/18/2022
- by Caitlin Huston
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Updated, 9:27 Am: Taylor Swift has responded to Ticketmaster’s announcement Thursday that it is cancelling the public ticket sale for her Eras Tour amid overwhelming demand that led to technical problems. “I’m not going to make excuses for anyone because we asked [Ticketmaster], multiple times, if they could handle this kind of demand and we were assured they could,” she wrote on Instagram. Read details below.
Here is her full statement:
“Well. It goes without saying that I’m extremely protective of my fans. We’ve been doing this for decades together and over the years, I’ve brought so many elements of my career in house. I’ve done this Specifically to improve the quality of my fans’ experience by doing it myself with my team who care as much about my fans as I do. It’s really difficult for me to trust an outside entity with these relationships and loyalties,...
Here is her full statement:
“Well. It goes without saying that I’m extremely protective of my fans. We’ve been doing this for decades together and over the years, I’ve brought so many elements of my career in house. I’ve done this Specifically to improve the quality of my fans’ experience by doing it myself with my team who care as much about my fans as I do. It’s really difficult for me to trust an outside entity with these relationships and loyalties,...
- 11/18/2022
- by Tom Tapp
- Deadline Film + TV
Update: Ticketmaster canceled plans for a public sale of Taylor Swift tickets. Read the full story here.
Previously, 12:02 Pm Pt: Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-mn), the chair of the Senate antitrust subcommittee, fired off a letter to Ticketmaster on Thursday amid concerns that the outages on its site for Taylor Swift concerts reflect a lack of competition in the business.
In a letter to Live Nation Entertainment CEO Michael Rapino, Klobuchar wrote that she had “serious concerns about the state of competition in the ticketing industry and its harmful impact on consumers. Reports about system failures, increasing fees, and complaints of conduct that violate the consent decree Ticketmaster is under suggest that Ticketmaster continues to abuse its market positions.”
Klobuchar has been a critic of the concert ticket market, and argued that Ticketmaster’s “power in the primary ticket market insulates it from the competitive pressures that typically push companies...
Previously, 12:02 Pm Pt: Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-mn), the chair of the Senate antitrust subcommittee, fired off a letter to Ticketmaster on Thursday amid concerns that the outages on its site for Taylor Swift concerts reflect a lack of competition in the business.
In a letter to Live Nation Entertainment CEO Michael Rapino, Klobuchar wrote that she had “serious concerns about the state of competition in the ticketing industry and its harmful impact on consumers. Reports about system failures, increasing fees, and complaints of conduct that violate the consent decree Ticketmaster is under suggest that Ticketmaster continues to abuse its market positions.”
Klobuchar has been a critic of the concert ticket market, and argued that Ticketmaster’s “power in the primary ticket market insulates it from the competitive pressures that typically push companies...
- 11/17/2022
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
Click here to read the full article.
Ticketmaster saw record registration and sold the most tickets for an artist in one day for the Taylor Swift tour earlier this week.
But with the demand came some technical issues. Speaking at the Liberty Media investor day Thursday, Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino said the company, which owns Ticketmaster, saw more than 3.5 million people try to register as verified fans to buy tickets to the pop star’s upcoming U.S. tour. Those that received codes to buy tickets then overwhelmed the site Tuesday, Rapino said, causing a few hours of “slowdowns,” as the company worked to stabilize the system.
“We invited a million and a half on that day to come and buy those tickets, but it’s kind of like having a party. Everybody crashed that door at the same time with 3.5 billion requests,” Rapino said. Site visits also included bots,...
Ticketmaster saw record registration and sold the most tickets for an artist in one day for the Taylor Swift tour earlier this week.
But with the demand came some technical issues. Speaking at the Liberty Media investor day Thursday, Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino said the company, which owns Ticketmaster, saw more than 3.5 million people try to register as verified fans to buy tickets to the pop star’s upcoming U.S. tour. Those that received codes to buy tickets then overwhelmed the site Tuesday, Rapino said, causing a few hours of “slowdowns,” as the company worked to stabilize the system.
“We invited a million and a half on that day to come and buy those tickets, but it’s kind of like having a party. Everybody crashed that door at the same time with 3.5 billion requests,” Rapino said. Site visits also included bots,...
- 11/17/2022
- by Caitlin Huston
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Live Nation Entertainment, the parent company of concert and ticketing giants Live Nation and Ticketmaster, has been attracting more heat from politicians in recent weeks. On Thursday, Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) sent a letter addressed to the company’s CEO Michael Rapino on Thursday morning, expressing her concern over what she called a lack of competition in the live music industry.
“Ticketmaster and Live Nation dominate the live entertainment supply chain with powerful positions in primary ticketing, secondary ticketing, concert promotion, artist management, tour sponsorships, and event venue operation,” Sen.
“Ticketmaster and Live Nation dominate the live entertainment supply chain with powerful positions in primary ticketing, secondary ticketing, concert promotion, artist management, tour sponsorships, and event venue operation,” Sen.
- 11/17/2022
- by Ethan Millman
- Rollingstone.com
Click here to read the full article.
Live Nation Entertainment just had its biggest summer concert season in history.
The company’s concert business reported its highest quarterly attendance to date, in the three months ended Sept. 30, with more than 44 million fans attending 11,000 events. Total revenue for the quarter hit 6.2 billion, with more than 5 billion of that coming from the concert business, up 63 percent from a year earlier. Net income was 397 million, up from 86.8 million a year earlier.
Even in a tough economic environment, Live Nation said it had not seen an impact on consumer spending, with ancillary per fan spending up 20 percent to 30 percent compared to 2019, across Live Nation venues in the U.S. and Europe.
“Fans around the world continue prioritizing their spend on live events, particularly concerts. Despite varying economic headwinds including inflation, we have not seen any pullback in demand, as on-sales, on-site spending, advertising and...
Live Nation Entertainment just had its biggest summer concert season in history.
The company’s concert business reported its highest quarterly attendance to date, in the three months ended Sept. 30, with more than 44 million fans attending 11,000 events. Total revenue for the quarter hit 6.2 billion, with more than 5 billion of that coming from the concert business, up 63 percent from a year earlier. Net income was 397 million, up from 86.8 million a year earlier.
Even in a tough economic environment, Live Nation said it had not seen an impact on consumer spending, with ancillary per fan spending up 20 percent to 30 percent compared to 2019, across Live Nation venues in the U.S. and Europe.
“Fans around the world continue prioritizing their spend on live events, particularly concerts. Despite varying economic headwinds including inflation, we have not seen any pullback in demand, as on-sales, on-site spending, advertising and...
- 11/3/2022
- by Caitlin Huston
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
After premiering at Cannes this year, Neon’s acclaimed David Bowie documentary “Moonage Daydream” will get a one-week limited engagement on Imax when it hits theaters on September 16.
Directed by Brett Morgen, “Moonage Daydream” tells the story of the iconic rock star through his own words and music, combining never-before-seen archival footage of David Bowie’s decades-long career with kaleidoscopic imagery and new mixes of his most famous songs. Bowie’s longtime collaborator Tony Visconti also worked on the film with the sound team of Paul Massey, John Warhurst and Nina Hartstone, who won Oscars for their work on the Queen biopic “Bohemian Rhapsody.”
Beyond the music, the film explores Bowie’s artistic and philosophical journeys, starting with the androgynous icon Ziggy Stardust and expanding into films, paintings, theatre, sculpture, and audio collages. Bowie’s estate granted Morgen unprecedented access into the archives of the star’s work, making this...
Directed by Brett Morgen, “Moonage Daydream” tells the story of the iconic rock star through his own words and music, combining never-before-seen archival footage of David Bowie’s decades-long career with kaleidoscopic imagery and new mixes of his most famous songs. Bowie’s longtime collaborator Tony Visconti also worked on the film with the sound team of Paul Massey, John Warhurst and Nina Hartstone, who won Oscars for their work on the Queen biopic “Bohemian Rhapsody.”
Beyond the music, the film explores Bowie’s artistic and philosophical journeys, starting with the androgynous icon Ziggy Stardust and expanding into films, paintings, theatre, sculpture, and audio collages. Bowie’s estate granted Morgen unprecedented access into the archives of the star’s work, making this...
- 8/23/2022
- by Jeremy Fuster
- The Wrap
Click here to read the full article.
Though Spotify has focused its energy on podcasts in its quest to become the king of all things audio, the company hasn’t entirely abandoned its roots as a music streaming service, as seen with the launch of its latest test: selling tickets directly to fans.
While Spotify, run by Daniel Ek, hasn’t signaled it’s ready to take on Live Nation’s ticket-selling business, a direct-to-consumer ticketing platform would be a natural progression for the audio giant. Already, the Stockholm-based company provides listings from sellers like Ticketmaster and Eventbrite on its app and leverages users’ listenership data to inform its Fans First program, an email marketing initiative that allows artists to give their top listeners offers and has generated 300 million in revenue since launching in 2017, according to Charlie Hellman, Spotify’s vp and global head of music product.
At a glance,...
Though Spotify has focused its energy on podcasts in its quest to become the king of all things audio, the company hasn’t entirely abandoned its roots as a music streaming service, as seen with the launch of its latest test: selling tickets directly to fans.
While Spotify, run by Daniel Ek, hasn’t signaled it’s ready to take on Live Nation’s ticket-selling business, a direct-to-consumer ticketing platform would be a natural progression for the audio giant. Already, the Stockholm-based company provides listings from sellers like Ticketmaster and Eventbrite on its app and leverages users’ listenership data to inform its Fans First program, an email marketing initiative that allows artists to give their top listeners offers and has generated 300 million in revenue since launching in 2017, according to Charlie Hellman, Spotify’s vp and global head of music product.
At a glance,...
- 8/17/2022
- by J. Clara Chan
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Click here to read the full article.
Live Nation posted 4.4 billion in revenue during the second quarter as fan attendance soared to 33.4 million across 12,500 events, the company reported on Thursday.
Through Ticketmaster, Live Nation sold an estimated 139,866 tickets during Q2, an increase from the 111,292 sold in the first quarter, which was the second highest gross transaction volume in the company’s history at the time. Total tickets sold for the year has hit 100 million, which already exceeds Live Nation’s pre-pandemic fan count in 2019.
The company also reported 318.7 million in operating income during the quarter, a comeback from the 127.3 million loss reported last year.
Concerts accounted for 3.6 billion in revenue, followed by 575.3 million from tickets, according to the company’s Q2 earnings report. During the first quarter, total revenue hit 1.8 billion, with concerts driving the most revenue while simultaneously making the largest dent in operating income.
“The second quarter confirmed...
Live Nation posted 4.4 billion in revenue during the second quarter as fan attendance soared to 33.4 million across 12,500 events, the company reported on Thursday.
Through Ticketmaster, Live Nation sold an estimated 139,866 tickets during Q2, an increase from the 111,292 sold in the first quarter, which was the second highest gross transaction volume in the company’s history at the time. Total tickets sold for the year has hit 100 million, which already exceeds Live Nation’s pre-pandemic fan count in 2019.
The company also reported 318.7 million in operating income during the quarter, a comeback from the 127.3 million loss reported last year.
Concerts accounted for 3.6 billion in revenue, followed by 575.3 million from tickets, according to the company’s Q2 earnings report. During the first quarter, total revenue hit 1.8 billion, with concerts driving the most revenue while simultaneously making the largest dent in operating income.
“The second quarter confirmed...
- 8/4/2022
- by J. Clara Chan
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Click here to read the full article.
For much of Hollywood, things are looking rough right now. Streaming subscriptions seem to be stalling, with Netflix reporting subscriber losses for the second straight quarter (the first time that’s happened) and NBCUniversal’s Peacock flat on growth quarter-to-quarter. Advertising is in worse shape, with Apple, Roku, Snap and Meta seeing a slowdown in spend and NBCU CEO Jeff Shell telling analysts that, indeed, the market is “choppy.”
But as bad as things appear in the core media business models of subscriptions and ads, there is another area that seems to be booming, with no sign of slowing down soon: live events and theme parks. And companies that have this revenue stream may be able to ride its wave until the choppiness elsewhere subsides.
Consider NBCU, which reported its Q2 results July 28. The company says its U.S. theme parks in Orlando...
For much of Hollywood, things are looking rough right now. Streaming subscriptions seem to be stalling, with Netflix reporting subscriber losses for the second straight quarter (the first time that’s happened) and NBCUniversal’s Peacock flat on growth quarter-to-quarter. Advertising is in worse shape, with Apple, Roku, Snap and Meta seeing a slowdown in spend and NBCU CEO Jeff Shell telling analysts that, indeed, the market is “choppy.”
But as bad as things appear in the core media business models of subscriptions and ads, there is another area that seems to be booming, with no sign of slowing down soon: live events and theme parks. And companies that have this revenue stream may be able to ride its wave until the choppiness elsewhere subsides.
Consider NBCU, which reported its Q2 results July 28. The company says its U.S. theme parks in Orlando...
- 8/3/2022
- by Alex Weprin and Caitlin Huston
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
As if the births of his ninth child wasn’t exciting enough, Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk is scheduled to speak Saturday at Allen & Co.’s Sun Valley Media Conference just as his Twitter takeover hits another snag.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman will interview Musk Saturday morning, according to The Information, though some heavy hitters such as Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav have reportedly already left the billionaire summer camp in Idaho. Still, Musk’s interview promises to liven up the annual confab which has been high on potential yet low on big announcements thus far. On Thursday, The Washington Post reported that Musk’s Twitter deal was in “serious jeopardy,” adding an extra kernel of drama to the proceedings.
“I’m not seeing a lot of concern about Musk and Twitter, outside of some clients that think he’s an egomaniac and/or a creep or weird guy,...
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman will interview Musk Saturday morning, according to The Information, though some heavy hitters such as Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav have reportedly already left the billionaire summer camp in Idaho. Still, Musk’s interview promises to liven up the annual confab which has been high on potential yet low on big announcements thus far. On Thursday, The Washington Post reported that Musk’s Twitter deal was in “serious jeopardy,” adding an extra kernel of drama to the proceedings.
“I’m not seeing a lot of concern about Musk and Twitter, outside of some clients that think he’s an egomaniac and/or a creep or weird guy,...
- 7/8/2022
- by Brandon Katz
- The Wrap
Click here to read the full article.
Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino has inked a new five-year contract extension with the live events giant and owner of Ticketmaster and Roc Nation, keeping him at the helm of the company through the end of 2027.
The deal includes a significant increase in compensation for Rapino, with an annual target payday of 30 million if performance metrics are met (the actual number could be higher or lower, depending on the company’s performance).
Rapino’s salary remains unchanged from his last contract at 3 million per year, but the annual target cash bonus is being bumped from 6 million per year under the prior deal to 17 million per year under the new deal. Beginning in 2023, Rapino will also be eligible for an annual grant of restricted shares valued at no less than 10 million. For both the RSUs and the cash bonus, performance metrics will be used to calculate the final payout.
Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino has inked a new five-year contract extension with the live events giant and owner of Ticketmaster and Roc Nation, keeping him at the helm of the company through the end of 2027.
The deal includes a significant increase in compensation for Rapino, with an annual target payday of 30 million if performance metrics are met (the actual number could be higher or lower, depending on the company’s performance).
Rapino’s salary remains unchanged from his last contract at 3 million per year, but the annual target cash bonus is being bumped from 6 million per year under the prior deal to 17 million per year under the new deal. Beginning in 2023, Rapino will also be eligible for an annual grant of restricted shares valued at no less than 10 million. For both the RSUs and the cash bonus, performance metrics will be used to calculate the final payout.
- 7/6/2022
- by Alex Weprin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade effectively banning abortions immediately in certain states, a plethora of companies have promised to provide travel expenses to staff who live in a restricted state and want access to an abortion in a state where it is still legal. Netflix, Disney, Dick’s Sporting Goods and Nike are just a handful of companies who are joining companies such as Live Nation, Sony Music, Amazon, Tesla, Citigroup, Levi Strauss, and Starbucks who had previously said it would support its respective staff...
- 6/27/2022
- by Althea Legaspi and Ethan Millman
- Rollingstone.com
Miami Dade Fire Rescue is reporting that Live Nation executive Theresa Velasquez was heard in the rubble of the 2021 Surfside Condo Collapse in Miami.
Velasquez was heard calling out after the initial collapse of the Champlain Towers on June 24, 2021. But she could not be reached before succumbing to injuries sustained in the building collapse, according to an 11-page Miami Dade Fire Rescue memo obtained by CBS Miami.
Her body was recovered on July 8.
Her brother, David, told CBS Miami said that he accepts the findings of the investigation into the so-called “voice in the rubble.”
“There is no way to know 100, but it seems like the logical conclusion,” he told the news outlet.
The memo, written by Deputy Fire Chief Raied Jadallah, originally identified a 14-year-old girl as the voice of the victim. Some rescuers heard the trapped voice tell them she had been in apartment 204, whlle others heard 304, the...
Velasquez was heard calling out after the initial collapse of the Champlain Towers on June 24, 2021. But she could not be reached before succumbing to injuries sustained in the building collapse, according to an 11-page Miami Dade Fire Rescue memo obtained by CBS Miami.
Her body was recovered on July 8.
Her brother, David, told CBS Miami said that he accepts the findings of the investigation into the so-called “voice in the rubble.”
“There is no way to know 100, but it seems like the logical conclusion,” he told the news outlet.
The memo, written by Deputy Fire Chief Raied Jadallah, originally identified a 14-year-old girl as the voice of the victim. Some rescuers heard the trapped voice tell them she had been in apartment 204, whlle others heard 304, the...
- 5/19/2022
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
An untitled documentary about Grammy-winning artist Lizzo is coming to HBO Max this fall, she announced at the Warner Bros. Discovery upfront on Wednesday, while unveiling the first teaser of the film. The doc will follow the singer, songwriter, rapper, flutist and actor from her humble beginnings to her history-making career in music and culture, as she balances the challenges of stardom.
“Growing up I never dreamed I’d get to experience all of the things I’ve accomplished in my life, and I’m just getting started,” Lizzo said in a statement. “I’m so excited I get to share and relive my journey with my fans and HBO Max. From ‘Cuz I Love You’ to my dramatic world tour, losing and gaining love, and creating my new album ‘Special,’ y’all get to see the amount of time, patience, blood, sweat and tears that went into this process.
“Growing up I never dreamed I’d get to experience all of the things I’ve accomplished in my life, and I’m just getting started,” Lizzo said in a statement. “I’m so excited I get to share and relive my journey with my fans and HBO Max. From ‘Cuz I Love You’ to my dramatic world tour, losing and gaining love, and creating my new album ‘Special,’ y’all get to see the amount of time, patience, blood, sweat and tears that went into this process.
- 5/18/2022
- by Sasha Urban, Carson Burton and Wilson Chapman
- Variety Film + TV
It’s been a busy few months for Lizzo and there’s no sign of slowing down. The “Good As Hell” pop star is to be the subject of a documentary heading to HBO Max.
The doc is directed by Doug Pray, exec producer of HBO’s The Defiant Ones and director of Seattle grunge doc Hype! The film has been long in the works with Deadline teasing the series in December 2020.
Lizzo announced the project at Warner Bros. Discovery Upfront in New York.
Warner Bros. Discovery Upfront: Deadline’s Complete Coverage
The film will follow the star and explore her humble beginnings to her meteoric rise with an intimate look into the moments that shaped her hard-earned rise to fame, success, love and international stardom.
It comes after her Amazon series – where she signed a first-look deal in 2020 – Watch Out For The Big Grrrls launched in March and she hosted SNL.
The doc is directed by Doug Pray, exec producer of HBO’s The Defiant Ones and director of Seattle grunge doc Hype! The film has been long in the works with Deadline teasing the series in December 2020.
Lizzo announced the project at Warner Bros. Discovery Upfront in New York.
Warner Bros. Discovery Upfront: Deadline’s Complete Coverage
The film will follow the star and explore her humble beginnings to her meteoric rise with an intimate look into the moments that shaped her hard-earned rise to fame, success, love and international stardom.
It comes after her Amazon series – where she signed a first-look deal in 2020 – Watch Out For The Big Grrrls launched in March and she hosted SNL.
- 5/18/2022
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
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