Convicted fraudster Billy McFarland — notoriously known for attempting to hold Fyre Festival twice — has officially sold the festival brand and IP on eBay.
McFarland listed the brand on the online marketplace a week ago, and as of Tuesday, there were 175 bids and 42 bidders. The final bid, which came in at $245,300, was accepted at 12:44 p.m. EST. While the buyer has not been disclosed at this time, McFarland laughed while looking at the brand name, adding: “it’s funny.”
“Damn, this sucks, it’s so low,” McFarland said regarding the final offer.
McFarland congratulated the winner in a social media post, writing that “FYRE Festival is just one chapter of my story, and I’m excited to move onto my next one.”
“The auction became the most-watched non-charity listing on eBay during its run, proving once again that attention is currency, and views are the root of attention,” he wrote. “That belief is at the core of what I’m building next: a tech platform designed too capture and power the value behind every view online. It’s coming soon.”
Ahead of the sale, McFarland claimed that he received over 1,000 offers for the festival brand and he’s “done playing games.” He reportedly had a seven-figure deal that had fallen through.
The buyer will receive the brand’s name, as well as trademarks and IP, social media accounts, marketing assets, domains, documentary footage, email and SMS lists, and the option for a Caribbean festival location — which McFarland previously attempted to pitch following of the festival’s second downfall.
McFarland attempted to bring back the festival for Fyre Fest 2 this year, though the festival endured several setbacks. First, McFarland announced the event would take place on Isla Mujeres, though the tourism directorate Edgar Gasca told The Guardian “we have no knowledge of this event, nor contact with any person or company about it,” and “for us, this is an event that does not exist.”
| READ: Fyre Fest Responds to Postponement, Accuses Mexican Government of ‘Theft’ |
Then, the festival was moved to the Martina Beach Club in Playa del Carmen, but details quickly emerged regarding the audience capacity. McFarland originally touted the event as a four-day festival with 3,000 attendees and 40 musical guests, however, a permit posted to his Instagram account — meant to combat allegations that the festival is fake — showed that the local government only approved 12 total hours of show time from 12 a.m. to 4 a.m. with a max capacity of 250 people.
To add more fuel to the “fyre” — the local government of Playa del Carmen denied all information regarding the festival. Officials noted in a statement on social media that “in light of rumors about an event called ‘Fyre 2,’ we inform you that no event with that name will be held in Playa del Carmen” and “after a responsible review, there is no registration or planning in the municipality.”
For those who don’t remember: the first Fyre Festival turned out a disaster. The 2017 event was promoted on social media as a luxury event from some of the top influencers across the globe. It was billed as the “festival of the year” on the Bahamian Island of Great Exuma in the Caribbean, boasting villas, top-tier chef cuisine, and performances from acts like blink-182 and Disclosure.
Now, we can all wait and see if Fyre Fest will ever resurrect under a new leader — or remain a distant memory.
