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Live Nation introduces US-wide vaccine or negative COVID test entry requirement
By Chris Cooke | Published on Monday 16 August 2021
Live Nation has followed AEG’s lead and announced that a company-wide policy will be introduced in October regarding COVID-related entry requirements at its venues and concerts in the US. The live music giant had previously said artists could set any COVID entry rules at each individual show.
Artists, venues and promoters across the world have been considering what their entry requirement policies should be as COVID regulations have started to lift in various countries allowing full capacity shows to return. Options include insisting that audience members are vaccinated against COVID, or accepting both proof of vaccine or a negative COVID test, or having no requirements at all. In some places national or state laws might also impact on any industry-set requirements.
AEG last week announced that it will require proof of vaccination to access its US shows and venues as of October. The CEO of AEG Presents, Jay Marciano, said: “We have come to the conclusion that, as a market leader, it was up to us to take a real stand on vaccination status. We realise that some people might look at this as a dramatic step but it’s the right one”.
Under Live Nation’s new company wide policy, a negative COVID test will also be accepted as an alternative to proof of vaccine. That’s the policy the company employed at its recent Lollapalooza festival in Chicago, which – it reckons – was a success, both in restricting the spread of the coronavirus at the event and in encouraged ticket-buyers to get vaccinated.
Confirming that policy, Live Nation boss Michael Rapino said: “Vaccines are going to be your ticket back to shows, and as of 4 Oct 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”.
Around 90% of those who attended Lollapalooza were vaccinated against COVID, with Live Nation saying that 12% of attendees actually got the vaccine in order to get into the festival.
Both live music companies will also require employees to be fully vaccinated when visiting any of their respective premises in the US.
