#285

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Back of House
January 06, 2026

Issue #285

From Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 venue push with Legends to StubHub quietly monetizing float — and plugging directly into ChatGPT — this week underscored how power, capital, and tech are reshaping live entertainment. As the DOJ presses its antitrust case toward a jury trial and new plaintiffs pile onto Live Nation, governments and institutions from Canada to Atlanta are wrestling with AI, licensing, and cultural preservation in an industry being rebuilt in real time.

Credit: Terry Griffin

Legends Global 🤝 Saudi Investment Fund 🇸🇦

In a “defining moment for Saudi Arabia’s events sector,” Saudi Arabia’s Event Investment Fund (EIF) has formed a joint venture with Legends Global to develop and operate a portfolio of world-class venues across the Kingdom as part of its Vision 2030 strategy. Legends will serve as the exclusive venue operator for EIF-developed exhibition centers, convention spaces, entertainment sites, and indoor sports facilities. The JV plans to elevate guest experience, drive economic growth, and build local talent through international operational expertise and best practices.

StubHub’s real revenue driver and new ChatGPT integration

StubHub’s CFO revealed that its marketplace model of collecting money from buyers immediately, but delaying payouts to ticket sellers - even beyond its stated five-to-eight business day window - generated about $41 million in extra interest income over the past year by holding those funds on its balance sheet longer before remitting them. 

At the same time, StubHub has launched a deep integration with ChatGPT, embedding its ticket marketplace as an app inside the chatbot so users can search live inventory, see up-to-date pricing, and refine ticket options through conversational prompts without leaving the chat interface, with results tailored by event type, location, and other preferences.

The US Department of Justice (DOJ) is pushing to take its antitrust case against Live Nation to a jury trial, opposing Live Nation’s request for summary judgment and setting up a key hearing on January 23 to determine whether the case proceeds. Federal prosecutors argue there is sufficient evidence that Live Nation and Ticketmaster used their market dominance to suppress competition and harm venues, artists, and fans. Live Nation is fighting back, filing late-year motions to dismiss the case outright or win on summary judgment, claiming the DOJ cannot prove real-world competitive harm and relies on flawed market definitions.

Defunct ticketing startup Fanimal, Inc. has filed a new antitrust lawsuituit against Live Nation and Ticketmaster, alleging that the companies’ dominant market power and exclusionary practices pushed it out of business. According to the complaint, Live Nation used long-term exclusive venue contracts, tying arrangements, retaliation against venues considering alternatives, and technical restrictions to maintain control over both primary and secondary ticketing markets, which Fanimal says prevented it from securing enough venue deals to scale and forced it to shut down and sell its assets in late 2024. Fanimal seeks monetary damages, including treble damages, attorneys’ fees, and a jury trial.

The National Independent Talent Organization (NITO) is urging US Senate approval of the American Music Fairness Act to extend equitable performance rights to all creators and ensure fair compensation when music is played on digital and broadcast platforms, while the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) highlights its own counter proposal, the Local Radio Freedom Act, and notes it has secured more than 200 co-sponsors in the House, underscoring deep industry divisions over music licensing reform.

The San Francisco Giants announced they have acquired the historic Curran Theatre, a landmark performing arts venue. The team plans to preserve and revitalize the space for long-term cultural use, expanding their community engagement beyond sports and reinforcing a commitment to San Francisco’s arts landscape. Broadway SF will continue to operate the theater.

As Canada’s music industry turns the page to 2026, leaders are bracing for a convergence of pressure points — from ongoing debates over the Online Streaming Act and proposed “streaming tax” to mounting layoffs at major labels and unresolved questions around AI-generated music. The CRTC’s requirement that large foreign streaming platforms contribute 5% of Canadian revenue toward domestic content has triggered legal challenges from Spotify, Apple Music, and others, with U.S. officials reportedly pushing to make the issue part of upcoming USMCA trade negotiations. At the same time, Canadian industry groups warn that weakening the act could accelerate radio and TV station closures, while artists and publishers continue pressing Parliament to address AI scraping, consent, and compensation before the damage becomes irreversible.

The Fox Theatre Institute in Atlanta, GA is investing $500,000 across eight historic Georgia venues across the state to support preservation and operational upgrades for these culturally significant sites. The funding will help with capital improvements, technology enhancements, and facility repairs. The initiative aims to bolster local arts ecosystems, preserve architectural heritage, and increase access to live entertainment outside major markets, while also fostering collaboration among historic theaters.

In other Live Nation legal news, the class action lawsuit from hundreds of Taylor Swift fans over the Eras Tour ticketing fiasco has been amended again - with a fifth amended complaint filed at the end of 2025 - after a federal judge dismissed some claims but allowed key antitrust and monopolization allegations to proceed. The plaintiffs contend that many verified fans with presale codes were still denied access to tickets and that Live Nation/Ticketmaster’s dominant market position and practices deprived them of meaningful purchase opportunities and forced them into the secondary market.

Sphere Entertainment Co: Felicia Yue joins the Company as Executive Vice President, Chief Technology Officer.

RockForce: Chris Schuman and Shawn Warlow have been named Co-Presidents as outgoing CEO Bob McClintock moves to a board role.

GEODIS Park and Nashville SC: Morgan Pitt has been added as Director of Booking.

  • Ken Fulk Inc. is seeking an Events Coordinator for its experiences team in San Francisco, CA. Salary: $68,000. 

  • SpaceX is hiring an Events Lead to create events and experiences for customers and employees in Hawthorne, CA. Salary: $90,000 - $115,000.

  • BLNK CNVS Presents is looking for a Talent Buyer for its live event programming in Orlando, FL. 

  • Peachtree Entertainment is hiring a hybrid Festival Ticketing Manager in Nashville, TN.

With new mega-venues launching globally and historic rooms getting upgrades, what matters most when you’re working a show?

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Last Week's Results:
55% of BOH readers feel enforcement will make or break the success of above-face-value resale restrictions.

Lineups, Festival & Tour Announcements 

Cancelations, Changes

  • Gulf Shores, AL’s Hangout Fest - renamed to Sand in My Boots in 2025 - won’t happen in 2026, but the Mayor says it's been approved for 2027. 

  • Mountain Jam is also taking 2026 off after a long-awaited return in 2025. 

  • The Rolling Stones will not be going on tour this year, despite initial plans to hit the UK and Europe due to 82-year-old Keith Richards’ inability to commit. 

  • Several performances have been called off at the newly renamed Trump Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, allegedly due to the new name. At least one artist is facing a lawsuit over the cancellation.

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