Ticketmaster will require proof of a negative COVID-19 test before admission to concerts

With the concert industry on hold in most parts of the world due to the ongoing pandemic, Ticketmaster has revealed plans for how the company plans to proceed with live events in the future.

According to a report in Billboard, Ticketmaster (which merged with Live Nation, the giant international concert promoter in 2009) will require proof of a COVID-19 vaccination or proof of a negative COVID-19 test result from within 24-78 hours of the event in order to be allowed into the venue.

From the report:

Here’s how it would work, if approved: After purchasing a ticket for a concert, fans would need to verify that they have already been vaccinated (which would provide approximately one year of COVID-19 protection) or test negative for coronavirus approximately 24 to 72 hours prior to the concert. The length of coverage a test would provide would be governed by regional health authorities — if attendees of a Friday night concert had to be tested 48 hours in advance, most could start the testing process the day before the event. If it was a 24-hour window, most people would likely be tested the same day of the event at a lab or a health clinic.

Once the test was complete, the fan would instruct the lab to deliver the results to their health pass company, like CLEAR or IBM. If the tests were negative, or the fan was vaccinated, the health pass company would verify the attendee’s COVID-19 status to Ticketmaster, which would then issue the fan the credentials needed to access the event. If a fan tested positive or didn’t take a test to verify their status, they would not be granted access to the event. There are still many details to work out, but the goal of the program is for fans to take care of vaccines and testing prior to the concert and not show up hoping to be tested onsite.

“Ticketmaster’s goal is to provide enough flexibility and options that venues and fans have multiple paths to return to events, and is working to create integrations to our API and leading digital ticketing technology as we will look to tap into the top solutions based on what’s green-lit by officials and desired by clients,” Ticketmaster president Mark Yovich told Billboard.

There is no indication yet if such a process would also apply to Canadian events. Stay tuned for more on this potential new way forward for the concert industry in the coming weeks and months.