Live Nation has continued growing in the second quarter and for the first half, with revenue up 12 per cent and AOI (adjusted operating income) up 6 per cent on a constant currency basis in the second quarter.  The increase in revenue was led by our concerts business as we continued attracting more fans to more shows globally, which in turn drove AOI growth in our advertising and ticketing businesses through the first half of the year.

With the majority of our tickets sold for the year, we are confident that we remain on track to deliver our 2015 plan, and all key leading indicators reinforce our expectation of continued top- and bottom-line growth as we build global market share in our core concerts, advertising and ticketing businesses.

We have built the industry's most scalable and unparalleled live platform, bringing 450 million fans in 40 countries to that magical two-hour event each year.  Concerts are the flywheel for our high-margin on-site, advertising and ticketing businesses and this year we expect to deliver record operating results, increasing the revenue and profitability of each of these businesses.

Concerts Continuing To Build Global Platform

Starting with the concerts business, we have now sold approximately 75 per cent of our projected tickets for the year, and through July we are pacing 7 per cent ahead of last year's ticket sales; this is our top leading indicator that we will increase concert attendance again this year.  We continue to be the world's leading promoter with about three-quarters of the top 25 global tours, including U2, Imagine Dragons, Lady Antebellum and One Direction.  Along with attendance growth, we have also grown per-fan on-site revenue this year by 18 per cent to over US$20 per fan in our amphitheaters and festivals as our sales initiatives, particularly those focused on the high-end fans, pay off.

The strength of our global platform continues to deliver growth as we have increased year-on-year attendance.  In the second quarter over a million more fans attended our shows, also spending money at the concert, paying service fees on tickets and providing advertisers with an engaged audience.  For the full year we expect to grow our fan base by over two million, which on its own would be one of the top five promoters in the world, as we build our audience across our global portfolio, including arenas, festivals, amphitheaters, and theaters and clubs.

At the same time, we continue building our global platform for the future, most recently adding Marek Lieberberg to establish our concerts business in Germany.  Germany is one of the top three concert markets in the world and Marek has a history of promoting more than 700 shows for over two million fans each year.  Adding these shows to Live Nation can make us the top promoter inGermany, and moving these two million tickets to the Ticketmaster platform will substantially increase our scale and market position in ticketing in Germany.  With this move, Live Nation now has a promoting presence in all the major Western European markets, and along with our presence now in nine Asian markets, we are the only promoter able to provide global and regional touring support at scale for artists.

Our artist managers continue to provide a strong pipeline of shows to our concerts business aligned with this growth.

Sponsorship & Advertising Delivering Accelerated Growth

In the sponsorship & advertising business, we have delivered strong growth through the first half, with both revenue and AOI up over 20 per cent on a constant currency basis.

Our key leading indicator for advertising, contracted net revenue, is up 19 per cent on a constant currency basis as of the end of the second quarter and we have sold over 80 per cent of our planned sponsorship & advertising for the year.  This now gives us confidence that our AOI growth rate in sponsorship & advertising for the year will be in the low teens, an acceleration from recent years.

Our online advertising continues to build rapidly, growing revenue by 36 per cent and AOI by over 30 per cent at constant currency for the first half.  We now have over 65 million unique monthly visitors to our sites and broader network, making Live Nation one of the top three online music networks.

On the content side, we have entered the second year of streaming live shows with Yahoo! Live, with an increased focus on festivals this year, including EDC in Las Vegas and the Wireless Festival in the UK so far, and Creamfields, Landmark and Voodoo to come.  Our Live Nation TV network with VICE Media is launching this month, and will provide music fans with the combination of Live Nation's access to 24,000 concerts and VICE's unique story-telling ability.

With the growth of our festival business we are also continuing to build our base of major advertising clients, increasing the number of companies that pay us over US$1 million a year by 15 per cent; now delivering a collective $200 million to Live Nation in 2015.

With all parts of our advertising business now performing and growing rapidly, we expect a record level of AOI growth in 2015, with continued strong runway.

Ticketmaster Marketplace Continues to Grow

Ticketmaster has continued building its global leadership as a ticket marketplace this year, with 7 per cent growth in site visits leading to a 10 per cent increase in combined primary and secondary Gross Transaction Value (GTV) at constant currency.

A key driver behind this growth in site visits and GTV has been our mobile first strategy, building our products for ease of use and viewing on mobile devices.  Mobile now consistently accounts for more than half of our traffic, both in North America and internationally, and year-to-date we have deployed 27 updates to our apps globally, as we are enhancing the fan experience.

As a result, we continue seeing growth in mobile ticket sales, up 21 per cent through the first half, and now accounting for 21 per cent of total ticket sales.  Our app install base continues to build as well, now at about 19 million, as more fans are seeing the benefits from improved search and ticket management functionality.

I am confident that 2015 will mark the true point of conversion of Ticketmaster to a technology company.  We have the right leadership and technology teams in place, building a marketplace and delivering products with great fan features, while also capturing cost savings for the business.  With all this, Ticketmaster has never been better positioned.

A year of growth

After growing the business in the first half of the year, we expect 2015 to be another year of growth and record results for the company, and we are confident that we will deliver the final year of our three-year plan.  Based on the strong position of our leading indicators in concerts, sponsorship & advertising, and ticketing, operationally we expect revenue and AOI growth in each of these businesses and overall for Live Nation this year.  And more fundamentally, we continue to see a wide set of both organic and acquisition opportunities to further grow each of our businesses beyond 2015, directly building on the success we have achieved to date.

Michael Rapino

President and Chief Executive Officer

Live Nation Entertainment, Inc. 

England 2015 is on track to be the most widely watched, attended and engaged Rugby World Cup ever, according to Bernard Lapasset, chairman of World Rugby and Rugby World Cup Ltd. 

"With six months to go, Rugby World Cup 2015 is in record-breaking shape and we are confident of a very special event that will capture the imagination on and off the field,” he said. 

"Even before England and Fiji meet in the opening match on 18 September, England 2015 will have raised the bar on several fronts, reflecting a sport that continues to grow at record pace around the world and the exceptional standard of organisation and delivery across all partners.

"The event has captured the imagination like no other and demand for tickets has been unprecedented. From public sales to the official travel and hospitality programmes, we are anticipating record numbers as fans from around the world join those across the UK in celebrating rugby and friendship.”

In addition to tickets sold directly via the rugby world cup website, more than 170,000 tickets have been sold in 60 nations through official travel agents. This is 50 per cent more than the total sold for New Zealand 2011 and already close to France 2007’s tally of 184,000.

50,000 hospitality packages have been sold, as compared to 35,000 for the 2011 tournament.

In total, 500,000 of the 3 million tickets available are expected to be sold to overseas fans.

"Across 44 days and 48 matches the Rugby World Cup 2015 story will be told in more nations than ever before: audiences in 207 territories will be inspired by new broadcast, social and digital innovations, while a record family of commercial partners will also project rugby to new audiences,” said Lapasset.

The sponsorship programme has already broken records, with six worldwide partners signed faster and at a higher value than ever before.

The revenues will be welcomed by World Rugby, which is in the process of investing heavily in the growth of the sport worldwide. 

"All of this is great news for rugby worldwide as Rugby World Cup is the financial driving force behind the growth of the sport, underwriting £330 million of investment in rugby by 2016." 

The host nation also stands to benefit to the tune of GB£1bn, according to an economic impact study by EY, which is supplying financial services to the tournament. 

Lapasset praised the organising committee and the national governing body, the RFU for their achievements.

"A tournament of this scale and stature cannot be delivered without a shared vision and strong partnership and I would like to thank England Rugby 2015 and the RFU for their continued focus on ensuring a superb event on and off the field.”

The RFU is investing GB£10m community clubs and GB£1m into coaching and refereeing courses. The RFU is also aiming to attract 5,000 volunteers in England.

Tournament Director Alan Gilpin said: "Players are at the heart of Rugby World Cup 2015 and the facilities in stadia, at the training venues or team bases will be of an exceptional standard. They will have everything they need to perform to their potential on the world’s greatest rugby stage. 

"It will be the same for fans from the in-stadia experience to fan-zones, broadcast and social media and we look forward to welcoming everyone in joining us to celebrate what promises to be an unforgettable and very special Rugby World Cup."

Toronto’s sports venues are set to be packed out in July, with many of the highest profile events of the Pan American Games selling out fast. 

Tickets for the Opening Ceremony have already sold out while the men’s football (soccer) gold medal game is experiencing some of the highest demand.

Other events for which tickets are keenly sought after include the medal rounds for aquatics, track cycling, BMX, canoe/kayak slalom, beach volleyball and equestrian jumping, where few tickets remain available.

Organisers also expect the men’s baseball and basketball gold medal matches to be packed out, with just a few tickets left on sale. 

“Tickets to see those memorable medal moments are selling quickly,” said Saäd Rafi, chief executive officer of the Toronto 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games Organizing Committee (TO2015). 

275,000 tickets to the Pan Am Games have already been sold to sports fans paying upwards of US$16 per ticket. 

“The numbers are beyond our expectations — especially since we haven’t yet announced when Team Canada will be playing, not to mention the countless athletes from across the Americas who are still in the process of qualifying for the Games.

“That said, it was no surprise that the available tickets to our Opening Ceremony, produced by Cirque de Soleil, went fast. It’s sure to be an unforgettable night.”

Other popular events include the athletics track and field 100m finals and 4x100m finals, the rugby sevens finals, the beach and indoor volleyball finals and the closing ceremony, with entertainment provided by Live Nation.

“The Games are a once-in-a-generation chance to see our most elite summer Games athletes compete on home soil and to be part of the high-energy crowd who will be cheering them on and singing our anthem together,” said Rafi.

The sales campaign for the Toronto 2015 Parapan Am Games starts in spring 2015. From 7-15, August, some of the world’s best para-athletes will be competing for their chance to go to the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.

The company was selected following an international tender process.

Under its partnership with Rio 2016, Eventim will provide a ticketing platform for Brazilian and international customers. The company has previous Olympic experience having served the 2006 and 2014 winter Games, in Turin, Italy and Sochi, Russia, respectively. 

Rio 2016 runs from August 5-21, with the Paralympic Games following from September 7-18. A total of nine million tickets are expected to be issued across the event’s sporting programme.

Eventim said: “In its partnership with Rio 2016, Eventim will continue to contribute to the Olympic and Paralympic movement by providing a robust, state-of-the-art ticketing platform, building on those which have been delivered for Torino 2006 and Sochi 2014 and embracing technological and operational know-how.

“Through their cooperation, Eventim and Rio 2016 shall ensure the delivery of a fair and transparent system for the distribution of tickets for Brazilian and international customers.”

Rio 2016 last month marked the two-year countdown to the opening of the Olympic Games by vowing that the delays and cost overruns which hit preparations for the 2014 Fifa World Cup will not be repeated.

Brazil’s staging of the World Cup was widely judged to be a major success, but the build-up saw significant delays in the delivery of stadia and price increases in preparing the venues.

This led to fears over Rio 2016, but local organising committee chief executive, Sidney Levy, told the Bloomberg news agency: “The time has come for the Brazilian people to deliver something on time, on budget, with full transparency. We can always fail, but that’s what we are willing to do.” 

Rio 2016 said construction across the four competition zones stood at 55 per cent completion on August 5.

In advance of his presentation at HOST CITY: Bid to Win, Carlos Nuzman says Rio’s regeneration will outshine that of any previous host city.

For more information about attending HOST CITY: Bid to Win, visit www.bidtowin-hostcity.net

Tickets for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games will go back on sale on at 10 AM on Wednesday 21 May, the organising committee has announced. 

The website crashed shortly after opening on Monday after a rush for remaining tickets for the Games. The site will now be reopened on Wednesday, with tickets being made available for different events over the course of three days as part of a “phased approach”.

With sports fans eager to grasp the remaining 50,000 or so tickets that remain, the organising committee has also introduced free postage and a freephone ticketing hotline to help relieve pressure on the website.

“While we sold more than 60,000 tickets through our ticketing website and hotline last week and saw the most incredible support and enthusiasm from the public, the experience of purchasing tickets was frustrating and unacceptable for some people,” said David Grevemberg, Chief Executive of Glasgow 2014. 

“Over the past few days we’ve been working with our Official Ticketing Agent Ticketmaster with the aim of re-establishing a positive ticketing sales experience for the many thousands of people who want to be part of the Games.”

It is hoped that spreading sales over a number of days and platforms will help manage demand on the website. 

The organising committee will announce which sports will be released for sale on which days early next week.

From Wednesday at 10 AM, customers will be able to buy from an initial batch of sports and Ceremonies, the organising committee said in a statement. Further tickets for further events will be available on Thursday and by Friday all remaining tickets will be on public sale.  “With additional measures in place aimed at managing demand and the addition of free postage on all orders and a Freephone Ticketing Hotline, we aim to get back to the business of ensuring remaining tickets are sold and that thousands more people can begin to look forward to experiencing the excitement of the Games,” said Grevemberg.

Ticketmaster – Glasgow 2014’s Official Ticketing Agent – has been investigating and testing the performance issues experienced since the closure of the online ticketing sales platform.

Chris Edmonds, Chairman Ticketmaster UK said: “Our team has been working tirelessly to review, analyse and rectify the issues that were experienced on the site. Our priority remains to ensure that customers have the best possible experience when securing their tickets for the Games.”

The organisers of last year’s World Games, which was held in the Colombian city of Cali, have announced that Rugby Sevens was the event’s most popular sport.

The news is a boost to Rugby Sevens as it prepares to feature in the Olympic Games for Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020. 

Cali 2013 was Rugby Sevens’ fourth and final appearance in the World Games. The multi-sport event, held in each year that follows the Summer Olympic Games, includes sports that are not currently on the Olympic Programme. 

The largest attendance out of all the sports events was recorded at the final of the Rugby Sevens tournament. 17,950 fans went to the Pascual Guerrero Stadium to watch South Africa and Argentina compete on 2 August. 

IRB Chairman Bernard Lapasset said: “Rugby is excited to be at the top of this list and we are proud that we helped to make the World Games such a popular success.

“As we prepare to introduce Sevens to the Olympic Games summer programme at Rio de Janeiro in 2016, it is encouraging for us that we are proving to be a hit at other multi-sport events, especially given this was also in South America.”

South America is an important growth market for rugby.

The largest crowds of all were recorded for the flagship non-sports events, the opening and closing ceremonies, which each attracted 31,000 spectators.

A total of 408,198 tickets were sold for World Games events, with crowds averaging 76 per cent of venue capacity. The majority of events were virtually sold out, with 64 out of a total 106 events selling more than 97 per cent of tickets.

The next World Games takes place in the Polish city of Wroclaw in 2017.

Registration for the World Choir Games 2020 closed on December 2, with a record 542 choirs from 69 countries and regions registering. This is more than ever before in the 20-year history of the event.

Every two years since 2000, INTERKULTUR has invited the world to the Olympic Games of choral music: the World Choir Games. Each time hosts like Austria, Korea, Germany, China, the USA, Latvia, Russia, and South Africa have brought a new and unique atmosphere to this largest international choir competition in the world. In 2020 Flanders in Belgium will be the next welcoming host for 21,000 singers from all over the world.

Expectations are high for these 11th World Choir Games. The host country Belgium is sending 133 choirs to the event, which will showcase Belgian choral traditions to their international guests. Other countries with an outstanding number of participating choirs are China (82), Russia (52), South Africa (39), and the USA (29). All these countries have previously hosted the World Choir Games.

“It’s our special pleasure that so many choirs from former host countries of the World Choir Games decided to follow the event to Flanders next year,” said INTERKULTUR President Günter Titsch.

“It shows us that we’re on the right track: Once infected by World Choir Games fever you can’t resist of participating over and over again. The World Choir Games 2020 will be the largest event so far, and I’m really looking forward to seeing people from all over the world bringing their music and voices to Flanders.”

Ticket sales for the Opening Ceremony of the World Choir Games 2020 also opened on December 5. The event takes place in the Sportpaleis in Antwerp on 5 July, marking the festive opening of the World Choir Games 2020 with a fascinating music show on stage. Participating choirs already have a seat reserved; all others can purchase their tickets here.

[Source: www.interkultur.com)

[Source: IOC] The Beijing 2022 ticketing programme will harness Alibaba’s technological and data expertise, ensuring a fully digitally enabled ticketing programme and modern user experience that allows fans to purchase and redistribute tickets securely. The OCOG will be responsible for the overall planning and delivery of the ticketing programme.

The appointment of Alibaba has been made with the objective of securing a single provider to deliver ticketing services and operations over several Games editions, reducing costs and the complexity of hosting the Games in line with Olympic Agenda 2020’s recommendations on efficient turnkey solutions. As a result, OCOGs will benefit from the opportunity to have a continuity of service through the provision of established systems and delivery experience, alleviating the need to design, engineer and deliver a solution for each individual Games edition.

Timo Lumme, Managing Director, IOC Television and Marketing Services, said: “The ticketing solutions provided will drive further innovation at the Olympic Games, enhance the spectator experience and reduce costs for organisers, delivering on the commitments made by Olympic Agenda 2020.”

Chris Tung, Alibaba’s Chief Marketing Officer, added: “We are proud to extend our partnership with the Olympic Games, beyond e-commerce and cloud, by supporting the Beijing 2022 ticketing programme. We look forward to leveraging our technology to help provide streamlined, digitally-enabled ticket sales services to create a seamless ticketing experience for fans around the world.”

In addition to existing work with the IOC on the development of its digital strategy and ecosystem, Alibaba’s expertise in engaging Chinese consumers and ownership of Damai, one of China’s largest ticketing platforms, makes it perfectly positioned to become the Beijing 2022 Ticketing Systems and Services Provider.

The 109 events in seven Olympic winter sports will take place from 4 to 20 February 2022 in the three competition zones of central Beijing, Yanqing and Zhangjiakou.

Tickets for the Glasgow 2018 European Championships are now on sale, with attendances of around 250,000 expected at venues in Glasgow and Scotland next year.

Fans can buy tickets for 84 sessions of sport starting at just £10 for adults and £5 for under 16s and over 60s.

Glasgow 2018, which brings together the existing European Championships for Aquatics, Cycling, Gymnastics, Rowing and Triathlon along with a new Golf team championships, will be a new highlight on the global sporting calendar and the biggest sporting event hosted in Scotland since the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Commonwealth and European champion swimmer, Ross Murdoch, who has been named as the first Glasgow 2018 sporting ambassador, joined young people from across Scotland at a sporting street carnival in Glasgow’s Buchanan Street to celebrate tickets going on public sale.

He said: “I’ve got such great memories of competing in Glasgow – the fans really are something else and that really brings out the best in athletes. You always want to perform in front of passionate fans in packed venues and that is what you get when you compete in Glasgow. It is an unbelievable place to perform in.

“And that is what will make the Glasgow 2018 European Championships so special. The fans really get behind you and take you to the next level. I have no doubt that will be the case next year and that Glasgow 2018 will be one of the best sporting events ever staged in this country.”

Fans can buy tickets for 84 sessions of sport starting at £10 for adults and £5 for under-16s and over-60s. There are also a number of free events including the Cycling Road Race and Open Water Swimming, ensuring that as many people as possible have the opportunity to witness sporting history on their doorsteps.

Paul Bush OBE, Director of Events, said: “Scotland is the perfect stage for events and next summer the stage is set for 11 days of fantastic competition across six sports. The Glasgow 2018 European Championships will be an incredible event, building on the legacy created by the 2014 Commonwealth Games and The Ryder Cup, and giving everyone the chance to once again see world-class sport on their doorstep. Don’t miss your chance to be part of the action. Get your tickets now before it’s too late.”

The Glasgow 2018 European Championships is delivered in partnership with several leading European sports federations with support from the Scottish Government and Glasgow City Council and will build on the legacy of events including the 2014 Commonwealth Games and 2015 World Gymnastics Championships. The event is also backed by a number of partner local authorities from across Scotland.

Minister for Sport Aileen Campbell said: “We know the passion and support shown by fans in Scotland helped to make both the 2014 Commonwealth Games and Ryder Cup a huge success and we want that replicated across the country next year.

“We are expecting a quarter of a million people to turn out and cheer on some of the world’s top sporting talent at events across Scotland and I encourage anyone who wants to be there and experience that famous Scottish welcome to get their tickets.

“2018 will be a hugely special year for Scotland, as it is also the year we celebrate the Year of Young People, and it doesn’t matter whether it’s one of your favourite sports or not – it’s all about getting involved, seeing what other sports are out there and being part of an event which will showcase Scotland to the world.”

Councillor Susan Aitken, Leader of Glasgow City Council, said: “Glasgow is a sporting city like no other. We are known all across the world for our passionate fans and warm welcome and nowhere will that be more evident than at the Glasgow 2018 European Championships which will see Glasgow once again take centre stage.

“Glasgow 2018 will be a truly historic sporting moment as Europe’s very best athletes go for gold in our magnificent sporting arenas. With attendances of up to 250,000 expected across all six sports it will be an unmissable event, with fans encouraged to book early to avoid disappointment.”

More than 3,000 of the best athletes on the continent will compete at Glasgow 2018. The action will take place in 12 venues across Scotland including Glasgow’s iconic SSE Hydro (Gymnastics), Edinburgh’s Royal Commonwealth Pool (Diving), Strathclyde Country Park (Rowing and Triathlon) in North Lanarkshire and the Gleneagles PGA Centenary Course (Golf) in Perth & Kinross.

A number of free events – including the Cycling Road Race through the streets of the city and beyond, Open Water Swimming at Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park and Mountain Bike at Cathkin Braes – will also take place, giving as many people as possible the opportunity to witness sporting history on their doorsteps.

A vibrant cultural festival, with Glasgow’s George Square at its beating heart, will also run alongside the sporting action, bringing local communities across the country to life with a celebration of Scottish and Glaswegian culture. Themes from the national Year of Young People in 2018 will also run through the programme.

Glasgow 2018 will take Scotland’s sporting reputation to the next level and with a potential television audience of up to 1.03 billion across Europe set to watch the action, Glasgow and Scotland will again shine in the global spotlight with the event being covered by free-to-air broadcasters across the continent including the BBC.

Tickets for all events can be purchased from glasgow2018.com/tickets and will be sold on a first come first served basis, with fans encouraged to book early to avoid disappointment. Those lucky enough to secure a ticket will see athletes from 52 nations compete in a bid to be crowned European champion.

Eventbrite, the ticketing and event technology platform which powers more than two million events each year, has acquired Ticketscript, one of Europe’s largest self-service ticketing providers.

The acquisition positions Eventbrite as Europe’s third largest ticketing platform, and expands the company’s global prominence as a leading live music event technology partner.

In 2016, Ticketscript and Eventbrite’s combined European operations processed more than 35 million tickets worth more than €500 million for nearly one million events. Following the acquisition, around a quarter (23 per cent) of Eventbrite’s global employees will work in Europe.

Founded in 2006, Ticketscript is headquartered in Amsterdam and is active in five European countries: the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain and Belgium.

Frans Jonker, CEO of Ticketscript, who will join Eventbrite as GM for continental Europe, said: “We have been building significant market presence in Europe for 10 years, with a focus on self-service ticketing for music events. We share Eventbrite’s passion for allowing event organisers to control their event marketing and ticketing, whilst retaining their end customer data.

“Joining forces with Eventbrite will no doubt help further accelerate the digital transformation of the European live experience industry.”

Eventbrite processed 150 million tickets for more than 600,000 event organisers in 180 countries last year. Founded in San Francisco in 2006, Eventbrite opened its first international presence in London in 2011, and maintains offices in eight countries on four continents. The company’s other European operations are in Ireland, Germany, and most recently the Netherlands.

Julia Hartz, CEO and Co-Founder of Eventbrite, said: “This acquisition supercharges Eventbrite’s footprint in Europe and brings 10 additional years of traction in the music space and experience in European markets to our business. It perfectly aligns with our strategic vision to become the world’s leading marketplace for live experiences, and adds significant assets and technical power to our platform.

“We are looking forward to this new partnership combining the best solutions from both companies, and bringing them to our customers around the world.”