Ticket Tyranny 🎟️

At the NIVA 2024 conference, experts discussed the DOJ's antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation, anticipating it will take years to resolve. The panel, "Ticket Tyranny: The Unseen Grip of Market Dominance," featured insights from Lee Hepner of the American Economic Liberties Project, Ant Taylor, CEO of ticketing company Lyte, Kevin Erickson, director of the Future of Music Coalition, and Gary Witt, CEO of Pabst Theater Group. Taylor highlighted the opportunity to rethink the ticketing business and foster innovation, stating, "What excites me about this moment is the opportunity we have as an ecosystem to look not just at Live Nation but the way we do business together and the conditions in which Live Nation has thrived." Check out the full article here.*

See Tickets [officially] SOLD

CTS Eventim has completed the deal to purchase See Tickets from Vivendi. The deal, which includes Vivendi’s festival and international ticketing businesses, is valued at approximately €300 million ($327 million USD).

Phish fan banned

A Phish fan credited with the "first bong hit to ever be ripped" inside of Sphere in Las Vegas was banned for life from the venue. @acid-farts posted his illicit activity on social media on April 20. He later received a letter from MSG banning him from all MSG properties “indefinitely.” After public outcry, MSG rescinded the ban, but reminded fans, “it is still against our policies, which are in accordance with local laws, to smoke.”

WMT Digital acquires Aloompa

WMT Digital, a full-service technology solutions firm specializing in fan engagement, storytelling, data applications and revenue platforms has acquired Aloompa, a mobile app provider for live events. The Aloompa team, including founder Drew Burchfield, will join the WMT team with Aloompa operating as a standalone brand within the FanOS product category of WMT.

$30 million, temporary stadium in NY 🏏

Nassau County, NY has built a $30 million, 34,000 cap modular, temporary stadium in order to host the 2024 International Cricket Council Men’s World Cup in Eisenhower Park. The stadium, designed by Populous, features repurposed elements from the Las Vegas Formula 1 Grand Prix facility and includes premium seating, VIP suites, a party deck, and fan zones. Construction began in January. The majority of the turf was cultivated in Adelaide, Australia, and shipped 14,000 miles for the event. Additional turf was grown in Florida and transported to NY via semi-trailers with blankets. Post-tournament, the stadium will be dismantled, restoring the park to its original state​.

Coldplay tour reduces CO2 by 59%

Coldplay has surpassed their goal of reducing CO2 emissions by 50% during their Music of the Spheres tour, achieving a 59% reduction compared to their previous tour. Key sustainability efforts included using recyclable BMW i3 batteries, solar installations, kinetic dance floors, and power bikes. Additionally, they saved over 3,000 tons of CO2 by using Sustainable Aviation Fuel and facilitated green travel for fans. The tour also planted seven million trees, restored 10,000 hectares of land, and maintained a high reuse rate for LED wristbands​.

First So-Cal arenas to go all-in on reusable cups ♻️

Crypto.com Arena and the Peacock Theater (both owned by AEG) are moving to a full-time reusable cup program, in partnership with r.World, starting August 15. The venues will begin by rolling the program out to select events and is planned to be fully up and running by the start of the NHL season this fall. Crypto.com Arena uses approximately 15,000 cups per event.

Rumored: Avant Gardner ➕ Bowery Presents

Rumors are circulating regarding the possible sale or partnership between Brooklyn venue Avant Gardner and Bowery Presents. Bowery Presents, a subsidiary of AEG Presents has promoted events at Avant Gardner in the past (as have other promoters). Avant Gardner, also the owner of New York’s Electric Zoo Festival on Randall’s Island, encompasses multiple spaces, including The Kings Hall (800 cap), The Great Hall (2,800 cap), and Brooklyn Mirage (4,500 cap). Neither party has officially commented on the rumors.

How to get into a festival for free

Festival and concert tickets are at all-time highs, so it’s understandable that some folks are looking for alternative - aka FREE - ways to get in. The good news is that there are several free - and legal - ways to do it. Check out this guide to getting into a festival for free. Warning, most include some grunt work.

#peoplenews

• Wasserman: Lee Anderson has been named President of Wasserman’s music division.

• Sphere Entertainment: Chandra Allison, formerly of OVG, will serve as EVP of sales and service for Las Vegas’ Sphere.

• Leadership Music has announced the 40 industry leaders that make up its Class of 2025.

• CAA: Emma Banks, Darryl Eaton and Rick Roskin have been appointed co-heads of global touring.

Have people news to share? Send it to us [email protected]

• Audience Republic is looking for a remote Customer Success Manager based in east coast Canada. 

• Comcast Spectacor is hiring an entry-level Coordinator, Hospitality & Events in Philadelphia, PA.

• AEG’s Rocky Mountain Pacific Northwest has several open Event Production roles in Denver, CO. Salary $20 - 35/hr.

• First Avenue is hiring a Senior Marketing Manager in Minneapolis, MN. Salary: $46,000 - 58,000.

Last Week's Results:
40% of BOH readers prefer Side Stage to feature tangential news, and 25% prefer general news. Coming right up!

Headliners, Lineups, and Festival Announcements 

• Eminem made a surprise appearance at the Michigan Central Station grand reopening concert last Thursday. The once-in-a-lifetime concert in Detroit, MI was headlined by Diana Ross, Big Sean, and Jack White. 

• Kendrick Lamar will host “The Pop Out Ken & Friends” Concert for Juneteenth at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, CA on June 19. The sold-out event will be live streamed on Amazon Music.

• Thomas Dolby, Thompson Twins’ Tom Bailey, and Modern English headline the Totally Tubular Festival. The touring fest will hit 22 cities across North America from June 25 - July 28. 

• Orville Peck’s 6th Annual Rodeo will feature Tanya Tucker as co-star, August 24 at Ascend Amphitheater in Nashville, TN. 

• Sturgill Simpson is touring for the first time in four years with his “Why Not?” tour along with special guest/alter ego Johnny Blue Skies. The tour kicks off at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles, September 14 and ends November 23 at MGM Music Hall at Fenway in Boston, MA. 

• Doja Cat, Gwen Stefani, Keith Urban, and Camila Cabello will headline the iHeartRadio Music Festival, September 20 - 21 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV.

• Mayhem Festival returns after 9 years as a one-day event with Bad Omens, Parkway Drive, and Architects, October 12 at the Glen Helen Amphitheater in San Bernardino, CA.

• Cyndi Lauper has announced her "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun Farewell Tour", her first major tour in 10 years. The tour starts October 18 in Montreal, Canada and ends December 5 in Chicago, IL.

• Some of our favorite dad jokes in honor of Father’s day:

  • What do you call fake spaghetti? An impasta!

  • What do you call cheese that isn't yours? Nacho cheese.

  • What do you get when you cross a mad sheep and a mad cow? A baaaad mooood. (Thanks Ellie)

• After more than 40 years, Pat Sajak has spun the Wheel of Fortune for the last time. But the beloved game show - and Vanna White - aren’t going anywhere; Ryan Seacrest is filling Sajak’s vacancy.

• Spotify is rolling out a music-only tier following its latest price increase.

• Martha’s Vineyard is about to run out of pot.

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