Some of the world’s largest live entertainment promoters have come together to release a joint statement regarding the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
A global task force has come together to drive strategic support and find a common direction that will best interest artists and fans. The last force includes: Live Nation CEO and President Michael Rapino, AEG President and CEO Dan Beckerman, AEG Presents Chairman and CEO Jay Marciano, CAA Managing Partner and Head of Music Division Rob Light, WME’s Partner and Head of Music Marc Geiger, Chairman of Paradigm Sam Gores, Head of Global Music at Paradigm Marty Diamond, and UTA’s Global Head of Music David Zedeck.
The task force released a statement noting that “we collectively recommend large scale events through the end of March be postponed.”
“We continue to support that small-scale events follow guidance set by their local government officials,” the force said in a press release. “We feel fortunate to have the flexibility to reschedule concerts, festivals, and live events as needed, and look forward to connecting fans with all their favorite artists and live entertainment soon.”
The joint statement follows news from earlier this afternoon where Live Nation confirmed that all concert tours will be postponed throughout the rest of the month out of caution. While some gigs will go on as planned Thursday and Friday, the remainder of shows starting this weekend through Live Nation will be postponed. Additionally, Live Nation employees will work remotely and not come into the office, with the Beverly Hills Headquarters will be mostly closed until the end of March. While March is a generally slow month for the entertainment giant, the company will come together to re-evaluate the situation in April.
Coronavirus has been actively spreading across the world and has been officially deemed a pandemic. As of Thursday afternoon, more than 134,000 people have been tested positive for the virus globally, with a death toll of over 4,900. Major live events have been cancelled in the U.S. including Coachella and Stagecoach, while high-scale sporting events like March Madness and BNP Paribas have been cancelled. MLB, NBA, NHL, and MLS have also halted their respective seasons indefinitely.