Hubbard Out At TM?

Hubbard, who’s run the division since 2010, lost his title as CEO of Ticketmaster earlier this year during a “retitling exercise,” a spokeswoman said at the time. He was renamed president but his exact role became unclear when Jared Smith was named president of TM North America in May.

(Update: Sources close to the matter tell Pollstar that reports that Hubbard has exited his position are premature, alhtough Hubbard will potentiallty exit the company in the near future.  Also, expect Smith and the company’s Mark Yovich to take a higher profile in the upcoming months.)

Sources reportedly close to the matter offered several potential explanations for Hubbard’s ousting to the Wall Street Journal including a power struggle with LN CEO Michael Rapino, tension in relationships with sports teams and the press, as well as the company’s desire to find a “tech guru” to help expand the ticketing platform into a major e-commerce site.

However, another source told the paper tension played no factor in the decision and said Hubbard’s removal is more likely tied to Rapino taking on a more active role in the ticketing business in recent times.

Hubbard joined Live Nation in 2006 when it acquired Musictoday, where he’d served as CEO. He was appointed LN’s president of ticketing in 2009 and took over as CEO of TM when the two companies merged the following year.

A spokeswoman for Live Nation was not available for comment at press time.