Live Nation and AEG will now require all attendees and staff to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or to present a negative test for their events.
In a statement, Live Nation President and CEO Michael Rapino said, “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.”
This Live Nation news comes after news leaked that the concert promoter initially decided to allow artists to make the decision on whether fans attending shows at their venues will be required to be fully vaccinated in order to gain entry.
COO of AEG and Chairman and CEO of AEG Presents Jay Marciano said in his own statement, “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.”
As for when these policies will officially begin, Live Nation’s is set to start on October 4, while AEG’s will begin October 1.