Irving Azoff's base salary to be $2 million if Ticketmaster / Live Nation merger goes through

By Alfred Branch Jr.

Current Ticketmaster Entertainment CEO Irving Azoff will be paid a base salary of $2 million per year through 2014 if the proposed merger with Live Nation is accepted, according to a filing Wednesday with the Securities and Exchange Commission that outlined his potential compensation package.

Azoff, already one of the most powerful executives in popular music and entertainment, would become the executive chairman of Live Nation and retain his position as CEO of Front Line Management, the artist management company he sold to Ticketmaster in 2008.

"The new employment arrangements with Executive [Azoff] principally address Executive's employment with Live Nation following the Merger," the SEC document stated. Should the merger not go through, the employment terms will not apply.

Azoff's base salary will be the same as his current salary, which was what he agreed to with Front Line in 2007.

Separately, Azoff stands to receive a $2 million cash bonus upon the completion of the merger, and he will be subject to also receiving annual bonuses of between $1 million and $2 million in addition to his base salary.

In addition, if Azoff is terminated by Live Nation he may be entitled to receive millions of dollars worth of company stock. The Azoff Family Trust received 1 million shares of Ticketmaster stock when the company bought Front Line, and that stock would vest immediately upon his termination from the company.

The combined Ticketmaster and Live Nation, which will be a $2.5 billion company, will be renamed Live Nation Entertainment and will be headed by Live Nation President and CEO Michael Rapino.

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Anonymous's picture
Anonymous (not verified)

So who will pay the brokers he's rounding up?

Anonymous's picture
Anonymous (not verified)

I guess we should expect to see convenience fees to rise once again to pay for his salary and eventual severance package, as well as take care of the Azoff Trust.

Anonymous's picture
Anonymous (not verified)

"Azoff's base salary will be the same as his current salary, which was what he agreed to with Front Line in 2007."

So no, you won't see them rise to pay for his salary, as it will be the same as it has been for the last two years.

Anonymous's picture
Anonymous (not verified)

Separately, Azoff stands to receive a $2 million cash bonus upon the completion of the merger, and he will be subject to also receiving annual bonuses of between $1 million and $2 million in addition to his base salary.

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