Coachella promoters AEG to make vaccination mandatory for event entry
Coachella promoter AEG has announced that vaccination will be mandatory for entry to all its events from 1st October.
The new rules apply to both attendees heading to and staff working at the live giant’s various dates. The company is the second-largest presenter of music events on the planet, with the only bigger firm Live Nation, which announced on 6th August that any performing artists could start asking for proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test for entry if they choose.
“We have come to the conclusion that, as a market leader, it was up to us to take a real stand on vaccination status,” Jay Marciano, AEG’s CEO, said in a statement. “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 realise 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,” he continued.
“Our hope is that our pro-active stance encourages people to do the right thing and get vaccinated,” Marciano added. “I think everyone can agree that we don’t want concerts to go away again, and this is the best way to keep that from happening.”
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Earlier this month, New York became the first area of the US to reintroduce mandatory vaccine passports or negative tests for entry to venues, with rules coming into play on 13th September. In Europe, France has taken a similar decision, and the UK has also announced that proof of two doses of an approved vaccine will be needed to get into clubs from September.
