Venue and event management company ASM Global appointed Jason Rio as senior vice president of live entertainment and content development. The former artist manager will use his expertise in his new responsibilities including strategy, event booking, and new product inventory for the company’s arenas, stadiums and theaters.
Rio previously served as President of Live Nation Houston and VP of Live Nation Chicago, as well as his most recent role as VP of Music for the Ambassador Theatre Group (ATG). With his new role, he is expected to lead ASM Global’s plans to grow its live event programming — a skill he had garnered through his experience at the giant live entertainment company. He will also oversee the research of new opportunities to develop live entertainment product for ASM Global.
“ASM-managed venues generate the most events per venue in our industry,” ASM President and CEO Ron Bension said in a statement. “Our goal is to enhance a record number of performances in 2023 and continue to increase programming to deliver an even wider array of profitable events in our managed properties.”
Rio has an artist managing history spanning over 20 years prior to his career of concert promoting in Live Nation. He represented artists like The Fray, Liz Phair, Michelle Branch, Motion City Soundtrack, Jack’s Mannequin and Mat Kearney.
Rio is also known for his service during former president Barack Obama’s re-election campaign in 2012 and his subsequent inauguration in 2013, to which he contributed as Obama’s America’s talent surrogate director.
“ASM is at a major point in their storied history and I’m incredibly excited to join the team to help guide the company into the future,” Rio said. “As the venue management space becomes more competitive, I look forward to working with Ron, Doug Thornton and our global team as we continue to shape ASM’s strategy so we can continue to be first in class. We put a high value on the relationships we have with all our promoter partners and we want to make sure we are the best teammate we can be moving forward.”
Bension added that Rio’s ability to engineer collaborative partnerships with key artists, agents and promoters in the music business is a perfect fit for maintaining and developing new inventory.
Serving more than 164 million guests annually, ASM Global currently manages around 350 venues across the globe. The latest news regarding the company dates back to past November when AEG and its investor and asset manager Onex Partners agreed to sell their ownership interest in ASM Global.
