Ticketmaster Entertainment

Ticketmaster is not sitting idly by as their relationship as Live Nation’s ticket seller ends this year. Ticketmaster has just purchased a 30% stake in Front Line Management Group. The 30% stake was purchased from Warner Music Group and came at a price tag of $123 Million. The new entity will be called Ticketmaster Entertainment Inc. with its purpose to be “a diversified live entertainment and marketing company.”

Front Line Entertainment was founded by Irving Azoff & Howard Kaufman in 2004. Since that time, they have made a strong effort to be the most powerful music management company in the world. They have roughly 200 music clients and this new deal is sure to expand the roster. The new Ticketmaster Entertainment entity will be headed by Front Line CEO Irving Azoff.

This changes the playing field for the music industry quite a bit. In the recent past, we have seen Live Nation (the world’s largest live music producer), begin to move into 360 deals with artists. It makes perfect sense as artists will always follow the money, which is moving away from cd sales (record labels) and towards the live concert and merchandise sales.

This recent purchase of an equity stake into Front Line Management Group by Ticketmaster will now give the ticket seller access to the following Front Line clients:

Eagles, Jimmy Buffett, Neil Diamond, Van Halen, Fleetwood Mac, Christina Aguilera, Stevie Nicks, Aerosmith, Steely Dan, Chicago, Journey, and Guns N’ Roses.

I would venture to guess that we will also begin seeing 360 deals taken on by Ticketmaster Entertainment. The big three live concert promoters/producers will now be Live Nation, Ticketmaster Entertainment, and AEG Live.

Stay tuned,
Erik
erikrostad.com