Promoter 101 # 55 - Live Nation's Co President of U.S. Concerts Bob Roux Recorded Live From IEBA
Oct 23, 2017
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Live Nation's Co President of U.S. Concerts, Bob Roux, joins Promoter101 to discuss ticketing, touring, and the growth of Live Nation globally and at home. The podcast covers topics such as the recent feud between AEG, Live Nation, and Oakview Group, working with top artists like Chris Stapleton, Tom Petty, and Metallica, the success of Ticketmaster's verified fan program, and helping artists increase their income from tours.
Live Nation has experienced successful international expansion, with shows in 43 countries and 80 million tickets sold worldwide.
Live Nation's decentralization strategy has allowed local promoters to have autonomy while benefiting from centralized tools and resources, resulting in the company doubling its show count and total attendance in recent years.
Ticketmaster's verified fan program and platinum pricing have been highly successful in ensuring fan satisfaction and maximizing revenue for artists.
Deep dives
Promoter 101 Live podcast recording at I.E.B.A. conference
The Promoter 101 podcast recorded a live episode at the I.E.B.A. conference in beautiful downtown Smashville, Tennessee. Dan Steinberg-Stynberg and Luke Pierce interviewed Live Nation's Bob Ru. They discussed the success of the conference, their upcoming plans for the podcast, and thanked Pam and the I.E.B.A. team for their hard work. They also mentioned their successful international expansion, with shows in 43 countries and 80 million tickets sold worldwide. They highlighted the importance of focusing on the artist's goals and preferences when planning a tour and mentioned the use of Ticketmaster's verified fan program and platinum pricing for ensuring fan satisfaction and maximizing revenue. The episode concluded with the hosts expressing gratitude for their listeners' support and sharing upcoming tour dates.
Decentralization and Growth
The co-presidents of Live Nation, Bob Ru and Mark Campana, discussed the company's decentralization strategy, which allows local promoters to have greater autonomy in their regions while benefiting from centralized tools and resources. They highlighted the success of this approach, noting that Live Nation has doubled its show count and total attendance in the past few years. They also emphasized their commitment to providing a wide range of live music experiences worldwide, mentioning their expansion into new markets like South Africa, Israel, and India. They expressed optimism about the future growth potential in markets like South America and emphasized their focus on customer satisfaction and innovative features like Ticketmaster's verified fan program.
Ticketmaster's Verified Fan Program
Bob Ru praised Ticketmaster's verified fan program, which ensures that tickets are sold directly to real fans and reduces the influence of scalpers and automated purchasing systems. He highlighted the success and strong positive reception of the program, noting that it has been utilized by around 90% of the artists they work with. He commended Ticketmaster for their commitment to providing a service that benefits both artists and fans. He also mentioned the introduction of Ticketmaster Platinum, a pricing tool that helps artists price tickets to match market demand, with a few hundred seats being priced higher due to their greater value.
Global Expansion and Future Opportunities
Bob Ru discussed Live Nation's global expansion and highlighted the growing opportunities for artists to tour internationally. He mentioned the success of festivals in various countries, such as importing Korean pop artists into the US and exporting major US acts to other countries. He emphasized the importance of understanding the local market and tailoring touring plans to suit the preferences and popularity of local artists. He expressed excitement about the potential for further expansion into untapped markets and mentioned the company's focus on providing comprehensive venue options in major cities, from small clubs to arenas and stadiums.
Reflections on Recent Tragedies
Bob Ru expressed his condolences and shared his thoughts on recent tragedies, such as the Las Vegas shooting. He emphasized the need for unity and support in light of such events and praised the resilience and strength of the artist and fan community. He highlighted the importance of continuing to provide exceptional live music experiences for fans while ensuring their safety and security. He expressed confidence in the industry's ability to bounce back from these tragedies and mentioned examples like Ariana Grande and Jason Aldean continuing their tours shortly after facing significant challenges.
This week on Promoter 101 Live Nation's Co President of U.S. Concerts Bob Roux joins Steiny and Luke at the IEBA Conference in Nashville, the session covers everything from ticketing to touring and talks about the world's largest promoter growing globally and at home.
