#244

Author

Back of House
March 11, 2025

Issue #244

FIFA is bringing a Super Bowl-style halftime show to the 2026 World Cup final at MetLife Stadium, with additional performances in Times Square. Hackers arrested for a StubHub scam stole $635K in Eras Tour sales, Sphere posted a $126M Q2 loss but promises its “best year yet,” and the Pink Bows Foundation launched a global crowd safety program. Eventbrite rebranded with a new app, Diplo’s Run Club is going on tour, and Fanatics partnered with Ticketmaster for resale ticketing.

Credit: Jim Dyson/Redferns

Halftime show added to the World Cup ⚽

The finals of the FIFA World Cup will feature a “Super Bowl-like” halftime show for the first time ever, according to FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who promised the show would be “a historic moment for the FIFA World Cup and a show befitting the biggest sporting event in the world.” The final match of the 2026 games will be held July 19 at MetLife Stadium in NJ and Infantino said there will be additional live performances the weekend before in NYC’s Times Square. Global Citizen and Coldplay are helping to produce the event.

Hackers arrested in StubHub ticket scheme

Tyrone Rose and Shamara Simmons have been arrested for stealing and reselling nearly 1,000 concert tickets, primarily for Taylor Swift's Eras Tour by exploiting a vulnerability in StubHub's system between June 2022 and July 2023. They made approximately $635,000 by intercepting legitimate ticket orders and redirecting them for resale. Rose, employed by a StubHub subcontractor, used his access to obtain ticket URLs, which Simmons then sold. Both face charges including grand larceny and computer tampering.

Sphere Entertainment reported a Q2 loss of $126 million on $308 million in revenue, down 2% year-over-year, however CEO James Dolan says that by focusing on cost reductions, 2025 will be its “best year yet.” The Las Vegas Sphere segment saw a slight revenue increase to $169 million, driven by "Sphere Experiences". Concert revenue fell to $54.5 million due to fewer shows, though sponsorships - including Exosphere ads - rose to $20.3 million. 

👀 Harry Styles is reportedly in discussions for the next Sphere residency.

The Pink Bows Foundation, established by the Dubiski family after the tragic death of their daughter Madison at the 2021 Astroworld Festival, has launched the Showstop® Procedure - a global crowd safety training and certification program for large-scale events. Developed by crowd safety experts and supported by the Event Safety Alliance, the initiative aims to prevent event-related fatalities and injuries by collaborating with the event industry to establish a global standard for crowd management.

Eventbrite unveiled its “second act” with a rebrand and new app focused on event discovery. The ticketing company’s first rebrand since 2019 was announced alongside its Q4 results, which included a roughly 13% dip from $87.8 million last year to 76.4 million in 2024. For the year, total revenue was $325 million, just slightly down from $326.1 million in 2024. The decline was attributed to weaker consumer demand and shifting event trends.

Diplo is expanding his successful Diplo’s Run Club to an official tour in 2025 (and Jan 2026), promising to “hit the pavement hard and celebrate even harder”. Last year he kicked off the 5k + mini music festival concept combining two of his passions in Seattle and San Francisco with over 20,000 runners. This year, he’ll also bring the miles and music to Philadelphia, Los Angeles, New York, San Diego, Miami and Phoenix, in addition to Seattle and SF. The merch is pretty 🔥, too.

The leader in sports merchandise is now in the ticketing business too. Fanatics and Ticketmaster have partnered to launch the Fanatics Ticket Marketplace, giving Fanatics app users the ability to purchase resale tickets directly within the app. With this partnership, Ticketmaster purchasers will also have the ability to purchase merch when they buy their tickets. Fanatics previously considered creating its own ticketing or purchasing a ticketing company and ultimately decided on partnering with the market leader.

Amsterdam’s Eventix has merged with France’s Weezevent and is now operating as Weeztix. 

Resale ticketing platform TickPick has acquired Fanimal allowing them to enter the primary ticketing market.

Brooklyn Made, the independent venue and concert promotion company founded in 2021, has abruptly shut down, citing financial struggles. The Brooklyn, NY-based venue officially closed in February, with its final show held on the 28th. According to its website, “Ticket refunds will be issued at point of purchase.” Founder Anthony Makes expressed disappointment, stating that despite efforts to keep the business afloat, rising costs and industry challenges made it unsustainable.

After 25 years, EXIT Festival is considering leaving Serbia due to increasing government backlash after the festival publicly supported student protests. Organizers claim the government is attempting to stifle dissent by threatening its funding and venue access, despite the festival’s significant cultural and economic contributions. EXIT, one of Europe’s top music fests, has a history of activism and was originally founded as a student movement for democracy. While no final decision has been made, the festival’s leadership is exploring options to continue its mission outside Serbia.

  • Do you want to work at Forest Hills Stadium in Queens, NY this season? Check out their job fair at Forest Hills Stadium on Saturday, April 5 from 12 PM - 4PM to learn about the exciting opportunities including ushers, VIP staff, production assistants, box office, concessions, production runners, security, cleaning, and facilities & maintenance. Questions? Hit them up at [email protected] 

  • Global brand experience agency FIRST is hiring a Project Manager for Corporate Events in New York, NY. Salary: $70,000 - $100,000.

  • Insomniac Clubs is looking for a General Manager for their Denver, CO venues. Salary $90,000 - $110,000.

Which is more important on-site?

Login or Subscribe to participate in polls.

Last Week's Results:
61% of BOH readers have started or completed their taxes - nice!

Lineups, Festival & Tour Announcements 

  • Brad Paisley’s “Truck Still Works Tour” will start at the Mountain America Center in Idaho Falls, ID on May 21 and end at Baycare Sound in Clearwater, FL on August 3. 

  • Reba McEntire, Jelly Roll, will headline the inaugural Tim McGraw Music City Rodeo, May 29 - 31 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, TN. This will be Nashville's first Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association event.

  • Tash Sultana will tour the US this summer in their “Return to the Roots USA Tour” starting June 10 in San Diego, CA and ending June 29 in Jacksonville, OR.

  • The 1975, Neil Young and Olivia Rodrigo will headline Glastonbury, June 25 - June 29, in Somerset, England.

  • Ottawa Bluesfest announced Shania Twain, Hozier, Lainey Wilson, Turnstile, Kaytranada, Def Leppard, Papa Roach and Green Day for the July 10 - 20 fest at Lebreton Flats in Ottawa, QC.

  • The Offspring will play 34 North American dates on their “SUPERCHARGED Worldwide In ‘25 Tour,” starting in West Palm Beach, FL on July 11 and wrapping September 7 in Denver, CO.  

  • Cyndi Lauper announced the final leg of her “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun Farewell Tour”. It kicks off on July 15 in Buffalo, NY and ends with two nights, August 29 and 30 at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, CA. 

  • Brew Ha Ha Productions is launching Unhinged, a new festival in partnership with AEG Presents Rocky Mountains July 26 - 27 at National Western Stockyards in Denver, CO. The inaugural event will be headlined by Knocked Loose and Lamb of God. 

  • Dom Dolla, Sara Landry, and Kaytranada lead the HARD Summer lineup, August 2 - 3 at Inglewood, CA's Hollywood Park adjacent to SOFI Stadium.

  • Aftershock Festival announced Blink-182, Deftones, Korn, and Marilyn Manson at Discovery Park in Sacramento, CA, October 2 - 5.

Cancelations

  • Shakira postponed her Santiago, Chile show due to concerns that the stage was uneven and her safety would be compromised.

  • KAABOO music festival was supposed to be reprised this summer, however, officials at Del Mar Fairgrounds in San Diego, CA say it is not happening due organizers not paying their deposit.

Music Sustainability Summit (MSS 25) - April 15 | Solotech Studios | Hollywood, CA

MSS 25 is where the music industry—executives, artists, creative teams, and vendors—gathers to turn sustainability into action. Hear from decision-makers at Spotify, AEG, Warner Music Group, Live Nation, Universal Music Group, and many more as they share real-world solutions that benefit your business and protect our planet.

With powerhouse speakers, breakout sessions, topical lunch discussions, and built-in networking opportunities, MSS 25 delivers insight, inspiration, and actionable strategies on key sustainability issues like energy, waste, food service, logistics, and fan engagement—helping industry professionals navigate these challenges in a rapidly evolving landscape.

Be the change! Join BOH at MSS on April 15 with an exclusive discount: To register, go here and use code MSS25BOH for 15% off registration (through March 25). Already attending? Drop us a reply!

The summit is produced by the MSA.

If you can’t make the summit and want to see more of MSA in action, check out a recording of their February 3 virtual event, LA Wildfires Forum: Climate Experts, Activists & Music Industry Respond, here.

Questions or comments?
Like BOH? Share it with friends!