Ticketmaster denies reports of required COVID-negative tests at shows

Ticketmaster, the ticketing company under touring giant Live Nation that everyone loves to hate, is shaking things up again in the nearly non-existent live music industry. A Billboard report released on November 11 stated, “Ticketmaster has been working on a framework for post-pandemic fan safety that uses smartphones to verify fans’ vaccination status or whether they’ve tested negative for the coronavirus within a 24 to 72 hour window.” The news followed early results on a new COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer that showed a 90% efficacy rate.

Billboard further explained that Ticketmaster would not have access to attendees’ medical records, only receiving temporary verification for entry. Still, the idea was received with mixed sentiment, prompting concerns about accessibility to tickets, refund processes, and confidentiality.

“We are not forcing anyone to do anything,” Ticketmaster clarified in a statement to BBC News. “Ticketmaster does not have the power to set policies around safety/entry requirements, which would include vaccines and/or testing protocols. That is up to the discretion of the event organiser. Ticketmaster continues to work with event organisers on all Covid safety measures and it will be up to each event organiser to set future requirements, based on their preferences and local health guidelines.”

Some precautionary measures the company is currently putting in motion are socially-distanced seating arrangements, staggered entry times, and post-event contact tracing. Furthermore, Live Nation is confident in the prospect of returning in full force by summer 2021.

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