AEG Presents has announced today, August 12, that they will require all employees and all concertgoers to be vaccinated as of October 1. AEG cites the October 1 deadline as one that allows time "for any eligible unvaccinated ticketholders and staff to reach fully vaccinated status should they choose to do so." This news comes shortly after the news of Danny Wimmer Presents requiring vaccines or negative COVID-19 tests breaking this morning.
"We have come to the conclusion that, as a market leader, it was up to us to take a real stand on vaccination status," said Jay Marciano, COO of AEG and Chairman and CEO, AEG Presents. "Just a few weeks ago, we were optimistic about where our business, and country, were heading. The Delta variant, combined with vaccine hesitancy, is pushing us in the wrong direction again. We realize that some people might look at this as a dramatic step, but it's the right one. We also are aware that there might be some initial pushback, but I'm confident and hopeful that, at the end of the day, we will be on the right side of history and doing what's best for artists, fans, and live event workers."
"Certain states' regulations may override our mandate, or a few artists may not want to immediately get on board with the plan, but we know that using our platform to take a strong position on vaccinations can make an impact," added Added Shawn Trell, COO and General Counsel, AEG Presents. "The message we want to send is simple and clear: the only way to be as safe as possible is to require everyone to be vaccinated. And we're confident that others who haven't been ready to make this full commitment yet will follow our lead."
AEG Presents states that the vaccination police is open-ended, and can be reversed or changed as needed.
