AEG Presents, the second-largest live company in the United States (after Live Nation), has announced that effective no later than October 1, ticketholders and venue event staff will be required to show proof of vaccination at all of its venues in the U.S.
In a statement, Jay Marciano, COO of AEG and chairman-CEO of AEG Presents, explained:
“We have come to the conclusion that, as a market leader, it was up to us to take a real stand on vaccination status. Just a few weeks ago, we were optimistic about where our business, and country, were heading. The Delta variant, combined with vaccine hesitancy, is pushing us in the wrong direction again. We realize that some people might look at this as a dramatic step, but it’s the right one. We also are aware that there might be some initial pushback, but I’m confident and hopeful that, at the end of the day, we will be on the right side of history and doing what’s best for artists, fans, and live event workers.
“Our hope is that our pro-active stance encourages people to do the right thing and get vaccinated. We’ve already had to deliver bad news about [the now-canceled] JazzFest this week; I think everyone can agree that we don’t want concerts to go away again, and this is the best way to keep that from happening.”
Adds Shawn Trell, COO and general counsel of AEG Presents:
“Certain states’ regulations may override our mandate, or a few artists may not want to immediately get on board with the plan, but we know that using our platform to take a strong position on vaccinations can make an impact. The message we want to send is simple and clear: the only way to be as safe as possible is to require everyone to be vaccinated. And we’re confident that others who haven’t been ready to make this full commitment yet will follow our lead.”
Prior to October 1, the unvaccinated will still be able to attend/work at AEG events, but only with a negative COVID test taken within 72 hours of the show. The long notice for the policy is being given “specifically to allow time for any eligible unvaccinated ticketholders and staff to reach fully vaccinated status should they choose to do so,” according to a statement.
A list of affected venues can be found here.
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