Live Nation APAC suggests new venue strategy across region

Live Nation Asia Pacific president Roger Field has suggested that the group has plans to transform the venue landscape across the region.

Speaking to the “Fear at the Top” podcast, Field said the group’s ambitions for Australia and the rest of the region are being stifled by a lack of opportunities because cities are under serviced in terms of the size of venues available and the facilities they offer.

Live Nation APAC recently announced its partnership with Korea’s Busan Metropolitan City to develop a world-class arena and multi-cultural entertainment complex in Busan. The group also recently welcomed Melbourne’s historic Festival Hall back to the music industry with a relaunch event at the venue.

Speaking to the podcast, Field said: “I think Australian cities, cities around the world, especially cities in the Asia Pacific region, are fairly under serviced in a range of venue sizes. I think Sydney’s got a big problem. … [Arena developments] are few and far between and patron habits change and technology improves.

“What we’re seeing in North America and around the world is a lot of that technology is changing the fan experience – whether it’s the ability to walk into a retail outlet – and Marvel Stadium’s just installed this – the technology to register and then you walk into an outlet, you grab something off the shelf and you walk out and you’re automatically debited for it.

“And I think our ability to evolve the scene is limited by the lack of venues and the gaps, so I think the strategy of [Live Nation] has really changed to focus on venue opportunities.

“We are a vertical business, but the unique thing that we bring is, we’re first and foremost a content provider, and what that does is especially in a market like Australia, is it gives us the foundation stone for the feasibility for a venue, and I don’t think that’s really existed before. I think what we are able to bring is obviously know-how and content.”

Field, formerly head of Live Nation Australia & New Zealand, took on the APAC role in December 2020.