#293

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Back of House
March 03, 2026

Issue #293

It’s officially on: jury selection has begun in the DOJ’s antitrust trial against Live Nation, with the judge swatting down delay tactics and even ordering a former Ticketmaster exec to testify. Elsewhere, FIFA scales back World Cup Fan Fests, a federal court overturns BMI’s 138% concert royalty hike, and Ticketmaster moves to cancel unauthorized Harry Styles resales — as consolidation talks and safety concerns continue to reshape the global live landscape.

Credit: Jake West

ONGOING: Live Nation vs DOJ - it’s actually happening

The Department of Justice (DOJ)’s antitrust case against Live Nation has continued full speed toward trial despite Live Nations’ attempts to delay. The DOJ blasted the last-minute request as a “desperate plea” that’s legally barred under federal antitrust procedure and would unfairly postpone proceedings, and the judge has shown he’s unlikely to grant a stay. Jury selection began as scheduled on Monday (yesterday) in federal court in Manhattan, with both sides moving through pretrial mechanics, including a ruling denying Live Nation’s bid to exclude potential jurors who’ve bought tickets on its platforms. 

In a related twist Live Nation let the court know that Carlos Alvarez-Coch, Ticketmaster’s CTO, was no longer available to be deposed (despite a previous deposition in July) due to his departure from the company on February 28. The judge, however, ordered he still sit for a remote deposition.

World Cup Fan Fests are being cut back

FIFA World Cup cities are scaling back their plans for official Fan Fests, reducing the number and size of large-scale public viewing and fan engagement zones across the US, Canada, and Mexico due to budget constraints and logistical concerns. New Jersey and Washington have canceled their plans for large-scale events that have been estimated to cost $1 million per day and instead opted for “scattered celebrations.” The revised strategy focuses on delivering smaller, localized activations that aim to maintain high-energy experiences without the same level of cost and operational complexity originally envisioned. 

Related: US Travel Association warns of visa barriers before World Cup.

A federal appeals court has ruled that BMI’s 2023 138% increase in public performance royalties charged to concert promoters was “unreasonable”, overturning an earlier decision that had upheld the hike. The sharp increase stemmed from BMI’s attempt to redefine a concert’s “revenue base” to include not just face-value ticket sales but also secondary sales, VIP packages, and service fees -  a move the court said lacked economic justification and industry precedent. While the court struck down both the higher rates and the expanded revenue definition, it did not set a new rate. It did however suggest, “potential reasonable rates that would still be 50 – 80 % higher” than previous rates.

AXS has expanded its Tickets for Good program to the UK, building off its success in the US. In the UK, the program helps partners donate unused tickets to NHS workers, teachers, charity workers, volunteers, and people affected by the Cost of Living crisis. The model increases access to live events for underserved audiences while also helping to fill venues. TfG is directly integrated into the AXS platform, giving promoters full control of allocations. A Germany rollout is planned later in 2026.

Late Saturday night into early Sunday morning, a mass shooting at Riverfront Live, a nightclub and concert venue in Cincinnati, OH’s East End, left nine people injured after gunfire erupted during DJ Fresh Birthday Celebration with 500 - 600 people inside. Police say all victims were taken to local hospitals with mostly non-life-threatening wounds, though one person was reported in critical condition, and authorities are still searching for suspects as the ATF assists in the investigation.

Ticketmaster plans to cancel all resale tickets for “Harry Styles: One Night Only” at Manchester’s Co-op Live that were being sold on unauthorized secondary platforms. According to their social post, the majority of the unauthorized ticket sales occurred on Viagogo. Ticketmaster plans to offer the tickets for sale to those who were part of the initial request, but weren’t able to get tickets.

Music publishing and talent management company Primary Wave is close to a deal to acquire Kobalt Music Group, a competitor that has had multiple owners since 2020. The deal, if completed, would create a “$7 billion indie music powerhouse.” Additionally, it is expected to boost efficiencies - Primary Wave currently pays for Kobalt’s collection services - which will lead to an increase in profits for Primary Wave. Kobalt, if acquired, intends to keep running independently.

Dreamliner Coaches: Brian Traeger joins as Chief of Staff; formerly with Live Nation and Opry Entertainment Group.

AXS: Julie Lamb has been promoted to Chief Talent Officer and Jaszon Boxer has been promoted to Chief Financial Officer.

AEG International: John Langford has been named President, APAC to lead the company’s expansion in the market.

If you’re a paid subscriber, you got all of this in real time. In just three weeks, we covered antitrust shakeups, Olympic-level fallout, record-breaking earnings, global ticketing reform, climate mandates, and AI transforming music tech. Here’s a snapshot of what could come through your inbox every Tuesday.

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  • 🎟️ Ticket resale caps proposed in NY + CA — New legislation would limit secondary markups, with backing from Live Nation, NIVA, and the Music Artists Coalition.

  • ⚖️ DOJ vs. Live Nation intensifies — Settlement rumors, political scrutiny, and partial summary judgment reshape the stakes weeks before trial.

  • 🌪️ Casey Wasserman’s fallout — Client departures, Olympic leadership scrutiny, plans to sell his agency, and ongoing reputational damage.

  • 💰 Live Nation sets records — $25B revenue, 159M attendees — While reporting no U.S. federal income tax paid due to taxable losses.

  • 🤯 Epstein Files reveal proposed ticket resale investment structure — Alleged multi-million-dollar tour allocations tied to an 8% return pitch.

  • 🇲🇽 Mexico investigates Ticketmaster, Viagogo, StubHub — BTS tour demand triggers consumer protection review and possible reform.

  • 📈 Sphere posts breakout Q4 — Revenue up 28% YoY, driven by immersive programming.

  • 🤖 Spotify engineering shifts to AI-first development — Execs claim teams haven’t hand-written code since December.

  • 🌍 Climate + resilience plans expand globally — UK transition roadmap, European extreme weather planning, and festival stabilization funds.

  • Backline has several open roles including Events Manager, Development & Operations Coordinator, Clinical Administrator, and Social Media Coordinator. Check them all out here.

  • Leap Event Technology is hiring a remote Implementation Manager to be a master of onboarding and execution for its clients.

  • Red Bull is looking for a Sr Manager, Culture Events in Miami, FL to develop and execute Red Bull titled live experiences within the Culture Marketing portfolio. Salary: $85,360 - $128,040.

  • NBC Universal is seeking a VP, Corporate Events in New York, NY to research, develop, manage, and execute special events for all NBCUniversal properties, both nationally and internationally. Salary: $190,000 - $235,000

Ticketmaster is canceling unauthorized Harry Styles resale tickets and putting them back into the primary pool. Fair move?

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Last Week's Results:
Live Nation posted $25B in revenue, record attendance — and paid no U.S. federal income tax. 42% of BOH readers feel it’s hard to reconcile record profits with “taxable losses.”

Lineups, Festival & Tour Announcements 

  • Koe Wetzel’s “The Night Champion World Tour” will hit 45-cities, starting May 3 in Melbourne, Australia. He then begins his trek through North America with Boots in the Park in Albuquerque, NM on May 15. 

  • CMA Fest announced Bailey Zimmerman, Blake Shelton, Carly Pearce, Shaboozy and more as Nissan Stadium performers, June 4 - 7 in Nashville, TN.

  • Darius Rucker is kicking off his 20-city “Songs of Summer” tour on June 4 in Toledo, OH.

  • Tailgate N’ Tallboys Festival has added a 4th day, with Red Clay Strays headlining. Zach Top, Treaty Earth Revival, and Jessie Murph lead the rest of the lineup, June 18 - 21 at the McLean County Fairgrounds in Bloomington, IL. 

  • The Lumineers, Limp Bizkit, Cypress Hill, Cody Johnson, Sheryl Crow, and Steve Earle top the Ottawa Blues Fest lineup, July 9 - 19 at Lebreton Flats in downtown Ottawa, ON.

  • Jason Aldean announced the “Songs About Us Tour” that starts July 16 in Bangor, ME.

  • HARD Summer will feature RL Grime, Zedd b2b Knock2, August 1 - 2 at Hollywood Park in Los Angeles, CA.

  • Grace Jones, Candi Staton, and UB40 will headline the inaugural Electric Paradise at Milton Keynes National Bowl in the UK. 

  • Rocklahoma announced Slayer, Godsmack, and Papa Roach as headliners for its 20th anniversary, September 4 - 6 in Pryor, OK. 

  • Borderland Festival in East Aurora, NY announced Jack White, Alabama Shakes, and Lord Heron, September 18 - 20. 

  • Twenty One Pilots, The Strokes and Gorillaz will headline Shaky Knees Music Festival, September 18 - 20 to Piedmont Park in Atlanta, GA. 

  • Metallica is heading to the Sphere Las Vegas for its “Life Burns Faster” residency with its “No Repeat Weekend” tradition; 8 shows from October 1 - 31.

  • It’s official, Sundance Film Festival will make its Boulder, CO debut January 21 - 31, moving from its longtime home of over 40 years in Park City, UT.

  • Sunset Music Festival is rebranding as Sunset On The River – Music & Arts Festival in 2027 and will move from Memorial Day Weekend to February 20 - 21 at Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park.

Cancelations, Changes

  • Rolling Loud Australia has been cancelled just one week before doors were planned to open. According to their website, “Our local partner, Primuse Entertainment, failed to meet critical payment deadlines and related obligations. These ongoing delays left us without the necessary guarantees so close to the event; we will not compromise the safety or experience of our fans, artists, and vendors.” 

  • Just a few weeks after dropping its 2026 lineup, La Onda announced it would “no longer be taking place.”

  • When We Were Young announced a pause in 2026 to “give this festival the care it deserves and to make sure what comes next feels just as special as what came before.” Organizers plan to return to Las Vegas in 2027.

  • Punk in the Park has cancelled all of its 2026 events (April 18 in Pittsburgh, PA; May 2 in Orlando, FL; May 23 in Vallejo, CA) after bands pulled out due to political donations made by festival owner Cameron Collins of Brew Ha Ha Productions.

  • Charley Crockett canceled his Canadian tour after he was denied entry to the country due to a prior felony conviction.

The Music Sustainability Summit returns for its third year, convening professionals from across the live and recorded music ecosystem to advance sustainability in the industry. MSS26 focuses on the ideas and initiatives that reshape how music is made, performed, and experienced. Join artists, venue operators, tour managers, promoters, and more for a day of learning, networking, and action.

Event Details

Tuesday, April 14, 2026 @ Solotech Studios, 1017 N Las Palmas, Los Angeles, CA

Schedule:

  • 8:00 AM: Check-in & Coffee

  • 9:00 AM – 5:30 PM: Summit Sessions

  • 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM: Networking Reception

Registration includes plant-based snacks, lunch and cocktail reception.

REGISTER HERE. Use code BOH30 for a 30% discount until March 24th.

MSS26 is produced by the Music Sustainability Alliance, a 501c3 nonprofit organization. Our mission is to embed sustainability in the music industry’s DNA by convening stakeholders to showcase and accelerate initiatives where sustainability becomes the norm, inspiring audiences to carry those values and empowering artists to advocate for sustainable behaviors by their teams, venues, and fans.

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