Mobile tickets in Canada by Live Nation

Rogers Wireless, Canada’s top cell phone company, recently announced an exclusive partnership with Live Nation to bring mobile ticketing to concerts in Canada. Rogers Wireless allows users with cell phones that support WAP 2.0 browsers to enter credit card information and purchase tickets through their phones anywhere within the country. After a successful purchase, the tickets will be sent to the purchaser via SMS and MMS. (Ticket News)

Jay-Z Deal Offers New Model for Music Sales

Jay-Z plans to depart his longtime record label, Def Jam, for a roughly $150 million package with the concert giant Live Nation that includes financing for his own entertainment venture, in addition to recordings and tours for the next decade. The pact, expected to be finalized this week, is the most expansive deal yet from Live Nation. (NY Times)

Live Nation, U2 sign agreement

Live Nation Inc. said Monday that it had reached an agreement for a 12-year global contract to handle the merchandising, digital and branding rights as well as the touring of Irish rock band U2.
The deal with U2, one of the world's biggest rock bands, comes just five months after Live Nation announced a comprehensive partnership with pop star Madonna, which included her coveted recording rights. Live Nation said U2 would continue the band's long-term recording and publishing relationship with Universal Music Group, a unit of French media giant Vivendi. (LA Times, PR)

The 2008 conference video series: Bob Ezrin at MidemNet

Bob Ezrin, producer & chairman of Live Nation Recordings - and one of the most important music producers ever - spoke to Billboard's Tamara Conniff at MidemNet 2008. He notably insisted that music should not be considered as mere content... (Midemnet's Blog)

Live Nation to buy Fantasma Production live music assets

Live Nation has agreed to purchase a majority of the live music assets of late Florida concert promoter Jon Stoll's Fantasma Productions, the company said Wednesday. The purchase includes the Fantasma calendar of shows, leases on two outdoor mid-sized music venues and two outdoor festivals, according to a release. (LA Business)

Live Nation in running for the Rolling Stones archives

Live Nation, the world's largest concert promotion firm, has emerged as a surprise bidder for the Rolling Stones back catalogue of hits as the band considers ending its relationship with EMI. Sir Mick Jagger has already taken the new live album, Shine A Light, to Universal Music, which owns earlier Stones recordings and was believed to be in pole position to secure further rights. But Live Nation, which poached Madonna from Warner Music in a £60 million deal and produces Rolling Stones global tours, which have grossed $1.5 billion (£748 million), is understood to have made a counteroffer. (Times Online)

Live Nation Q4 2007 Earnings Call Transcript

There’s no question the live music is the one shining star in the music business as major artists are looking to live music for 50 to 90% of their earning potential. As a global leader in live concerts we are the number one business partner for artists worldwide and we believe we can leverage this position to expand into complementary businesses with the artist. (Full Transcript)

O2 festival scrapped

Plans to hold the third O2 Wireless Festival in Leeds this year have been scrapped. Live Nation, the firm behind the annual musical extravaganza, have pulled the plug on the event which has seen acts like Kaiser Chiefs, The Who and the White Stripes play headline sets in the stunning grounds of Harewood House. Instead, this summer, warm-up gigs featuring acts playing at the Hyde Park festival in July will be held at indoor venues around the country. (Yorkshire Evening Post)

Live Nation Acquires Leading Concert Promoter in Dubai

Live Nation announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire a 65% controlling stake in Mirage Promotions, a leading promoter based in Dubai. Mirage annually stages a wide range of concerts, shows and events in Dubai and other cities in the region, including such international acts as Pink, Aerosmith and Shakira. Mirage also secures acts for corporate clients in the region, with recent bookings including Diana Ross, Bryan Adams, Kenny Rogers, Sarah Connor and the Gypsy Kings. (PR)

Live Nation Completes the Divestiture of Its North American Theatrical Business

Live Nation, the world's largest live music company, announced it has completed the divestiture of substantially all of the remainder of its North American theatrical business to Key Brand Entertainment, further focusing the company on its core music operations. The company will use the net proceeds from the sale to repay borrowings under its revolving credit facility and to invest in its core music business. (PR)

Live Nation’s Stock Continues to Struggle

Live Nation this week saw its stock price hit a 52 week low as the stock market as a whole has taken a drubbing recently on fears of a looming recession. However, Live Nation’s drop was also influenced by recent news. Analysts at investment bank Morgan Joseph maintained their buy rating on Live Nation, but downgraded their earnings expectation on January 14. Also contributing to Live Nation’s stock situation was news of Ticketmaster’s plan to purchase TicketsNow, which will instantly make Ticketmaster the second largest player on the secondary ticket market. (Ticketnews)

Live Nation Ticketing conference call transcript

"Through www.LiveNation.com we expect to sell more than 20 million tickets annually directly to music fans around the world. Through this activity we expect to strengthen the relationship we have with our customers, develop brand new revenue streams, maximize attendance at our events and build new alliance with corporate partners that have never been before possible", said Michael Rapino – President, Chief Executive Officer & Director. (Transcript)

Ticketmaster Buys Major Reseller

In a bid to fend off competition on multiple fronts, IAC/InterActiveCorp's Ticketmaster has agreed to pay about $265 million for TicketsNow Inc., the country's second-largest Web site for reselling tickets to concerts and sports events, the companies said. The move is designed to let Ticketmaster and its clients tap the explosive growth of the so-called secondary ticket market, which is led by eBay Inc.'s StubHub site. The cash offer also comes after Ticketmaster's largest client, concert promoter Live Nation Inc., said it plans to stop doing business with Ticketmaster at the end of this year. (Wall Street Journal)

Live Nation to launch tickets business in '09

Concert promoter Live Nation said on Friday it will launch its own ticketing business next year after it ends a relationship with Ticketmaster, the dominant box office service. The announcement is part of a strategy shift by Live Nation to provide a complete pipeline of marketing, ticketing and merchandising services for artists and events, creating new competition for Ticketmaster and music labels alike. It will sell tickets for its own concerts and for third-party events. "We will have a fully operational new ticketing company and reach a new milestone in this journey," Live Nation Chief Executive Michael Rapino said on a conference call. (Reuters)

Jonas Brothers Sign Touring Deal with Live Nation

Platinum-selling pop music siblings Jonas Brothers have inked a long-term, multi-million dollar worldwide touring deal with Live Nation, the company announced Thursday. The deal, the first of its kind for an emerging act, will allow the teen sensations to play more than 140 theaters and arenas around the world during the span of the agreement. (TicketNews)