Live Nation Venues to Require Vaccinations or Negative Test
The new requirements will be enforced after Oct. 4 and will only apply to venues and events where these practices are permitted by law. On the same date, all Live Nation employees will also need to be fully vaccinated in order to work at or visit one of the promoter’s events, venues or offices.
“Vaccines are going to be your ticket back to shows, and as of October 4th we will be following the model we developed for Lollapalooza and requiring this for artists, fans and employees at Live Nation venues and festivals everywhere possible in the US,” said Live Nation Entertainment president and CEO Michael Rapino in a statement.
The announcement follows Live Nation’s Aug. 6 news that they would encourage the artists they work with to require vaccination proof or proof of a negative test at their shows. Live Nation plans to offer support for artists who want to implement the mandates in states where it is permitted. According to Ballotpedia, there are 20 states in the country that have prohibited proof-of-vaccination requirements.
Last week, Live Nation’s biggest competitor, AEG, announced that it would require proof of vaccination for entry into its owned and operated clubs, theaters and festivals. AEG will implement its requirements as of Oct. 1 and, unlike Live Nation, will not accept negative COVID-19 tests as an alternative for entry.
Live Nation promotes, books and works on thousands of concerts every year, but not all of their events are at venues they fully own or operate. Many shows Live Nation works on will have vaccine requirements determined by the artist or the venue, though Live Nation says it is in favor of the requirements.
“We know people are eager to return to live events and we hope these measures encourage even more people to get vaccinated,” Rapino said in a note to staff on Aug. 6. “That is the number one thing anyone can do to take care of those around them and we are encouraging as many shows as possible to adopt this model.”
