Sustainability has been one of the buzz words of the year in live entertainment circles – even with the biggest names in the industry. British band Coldplay announced that its global stadium tour to accompany the new album, Music Of The Spheres, would adopt a series of green initiates. Coldplay hopes that its measures will …
2021 year in review – November
The Astroworld tragedy overshadowed everything else in a dark month for the industry. Ten concert-goers died, with the victims ranging in age from nine to 27 years old, and 300 were injured in a catastrophic crowd crush that will undoubtedly have implications for all of the event’s stakeholders and spectators – and the industry as …
Scotland cancels large events amid Omicron concerns
The Scottish Government has moved to cancel some large-scale events and significantly limit attendance numbers at others as part of an effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19 variant Omicron. Effective from December 26, all indoor venues such as theatres and concert halls will have a capacity limit of 200 for events that are seated …
People on the move: AXS Sweden, TEG and more…
We round up the latest movements from the ticketing sector and associated industries… Live entertainment and ticketing company TEG has appointed impresario Randy Phillips (pictured right) to its board of directors. Phillips will be in both an advisory and operational role and has already acted on TEG’s behalf, working with DONDA Touring in producing and promoting …
Belgian Grand Prix fans miss out on refunds after abandonment
Spectators who attended Formula 1’s 2021 Belgian Grand Prix, which was abandoned after just three laps due to bad weather, will not receive a refund on their tickets. The race at Spa-Francorchamps was called off after three laps, two of which were behind the Safety Car, a result of heavy rain. Fans had hoped for …
Chancellor announces £1bn support package for COVID-hit businesses
Chancellor Rishi Sunak has announced a new support package worth £1bn (€1.2bn/$1.3bn) to help businesses impacted by the spread of the Omicron COVID-19 variant. Companies across the hospitality and leisure sectors have been hit by a decline in footfall in recent weeks due to consumers’ concerns about the variant, while many have also reported widespread …
Curtains drop on West End shows due to Omicron variant
London’s West End is continuing to be affected by the spread of the Omicron variant, after almost half of the capital’s major theatres had to cancel performances because of Covid infections. Of the 46 full members of the Society of London Theatre (SOLT) that had planned to perform shows at the weekend, 22 were forced …
Ticketmaster grows Latin America presence with Mexico and Chile launch
Ticketmaster is to launch in Mexico and Chile as part of plans to expand its footprint in the wider Latin America market. The move follows Live Nation Entertainment’s recent acquisition of OCESA Entretenimiento, a leading promoter in the region and owner of Ticketmaster Mexico. The new ownership structure will see Ticketmaster Mexico transition from a …
Accesso pens strategic partnership with Sansei Technologies
Technology solutions provider Accesso Technology Group has signed a three-year strategic agreement with Sansei Technologies, a specialised equipment provider for operators in the leisure and entertainment industry. Under the arrangement, Sansei will serve as the exclusive reseller of Accesso virtual queuing products in Japan, as Accesso seeks to expand the footprint of its virtual queuing …
Wales moves sports events behind closed doors to combat Omicron spread
The Welsh Government has announced that all sporting events in the country will be moved behind closed doors from December 26 in an effort to slow the spread of the Omicron COVID-19 variant. The new rules will apply to all indoor, outdoor, professional and community sports events, meaning fans will not be able to attend …