Paris 2024 President Tony Estanguet has responded to criticism over ticket prices for the Olympic Games, arguing that they are in line with London 2012. Estanguet also said the prices were in line with football and rugby World Cups. Early last year, organisers revealed that nearly half of all tickets available would be priced at …
Claims of not enough medical staff at O2 Academy Brixton crush
Only half the recommended number of medical staff were on duty on the night of the crowd crush at the O2 Academy Brixton, according to a report from the BBC. Two people died as a result of a crowd crush at a gig from Afrobeats artist Asake in December. According to the report from the …
SOLT and UK Theatre call for reintroduction of 5% VAT ticket rate
Society of London Theatre (SOLT) and UK Theatre have called on the UK Government to maintain the 50/45% rate of relief for theatres, reintroduce the 5% VAT ticket rate and include marketing spend in the qualifying costs of Theatre Tax Relief (TTR). The calls were made in the ‘Thriving Theatres’ plan, which was recently presented …
Music Venue Trust reveals latest Pipeline Investment Fund recipients
Music Venue Trust (MVT) has revealed its third round of recipients for its Pipeline Investment Fund, which provides grants to grassroots music venues in the UK. The charity has announced that a further 13 venues will benefit from grants of up to £5,000 (€5,700/$6,000) to help with projects and improvements including lighting, sound, CCTV, air …
Berlinale boasts strong ticket sales following pandemic-impacted editions
Organisers of the 2023 Berlin International Film Festival, also known as the Berlinale, have said that 267,000 tickets have been sold ahead of the final stages of the event. The total is up 70% on last year’s edition, which was still impacted by COVID-19 and sold 156,472 tickets for the entire festival. However, the 2023 …
Tickets go on sale for inaugural UCI Cycling World Championships
Tickets have gone on general sale for the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships, which will be made up of 13 UCI World Championships in different disciplines for the first time. The inaugural UCI Cycling World Championships are organised by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) and are set to be held in Glasgow and across Scotland …
Guns N’ Roses heading out on 2023 world tour
Rock legends Guns N’ Roses have announced plans for a major world tour that will begin in Israel this June. The band – featuring singer Axl Rose and guitarist Slash – will headline stadiums, festivals, and arenas throughout the summer in Europe before switching to North America for the first time in two years in …
FIFA expects ticket revenue to treble for 2026 World Cup
FIFA is expecting ticketing and hospitality revenue to treble to more than $3bn over the course of the next FIFA World Cup cycle. Football’s global governing body has issued an upbeat projection for the four-year period from 2023-26 that will include the 2026 World Cup in the US, Canada and Mexico. FIFA said the state-of-the-art …
Creative Scotland celebrates budget cut u-turn
Creative Scotland has welcomed the Scottish Government’s decision to reverse a cut to around 10% of its budget. The decision, taken as the Scottish Parliament considered the Scottish Government’s 2023/24 Budget, reverses the £6.6m reduction proposed in the Draft Budget, in December last year, and restores Creative Scotland’s Grant-in-Aid budget to £63m. Creative Scotland, which …
AEG Europe calls on Government to block MSG Sphere London plan
AEG Europe, owner of The O2, has called on the UK Government to permanently block the proposed MSG Sphere in London after Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove indicated that he is preparing to call in the planning decision. In AEG’s latest attempt at preventing the construction of the MSG Entertainment venue in the UK’s capital …