Concert promoter and venue operator Live Nation plans to require COVID-19 vaccines for its patrons “everywhere possible” beginning Oct. 4, the company said.
The move to mandate shots for concert-goers comes after the company initially said it would leave the decision whether to require inoculations up to individual artists, Rolling Stone said.
“Vaccines are going to be your ticket back to shows, and as of October 4th we will be following the model we developed for Lollapalooza and requiring this for artists, fans and employees at Live Nation venues and festivals everywhere possible in the US,” Live Nation President and CEO Michael Rapino said in a statement Friday to Rolling Stone and NBC.
The new rule will only be in effect “where permitted by law,” the company said.
Live Nation previously required vaccinations at Chicago’s Lollapalooza music festival.
“12% of fans said Lolla was actually their reason for getting vaccinated – which is a huge number with 400k attendees throughout the weekend,” a company rep told NBC.
Employees will also have to be vaccinated and be required to have tested negative for the deadly virus, cases of which have surged in recent weeks due to the extra-contagious Delta variant.
Live Nation is the largest live events company in the US.
Its competitor AEG Presents on Thursday announced plans to require proof of shots starting Oct. 1.
