StubHub Promotes

The secondary ticketing company, owned by eBay, is launching a series of self-ticketed shows at 300- to 600-capacity venues with tickets going on sale for $60 May 18.

The StubHub shows benefit the Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation and the five shows, featuring “emerging acts,” will take place in Los Angeles, Nashville, San Francisco, Chicago and New York.

StubHub is also partnering with Pandora for five free concerts, kicking off with Tokyo Police Club at Los Angeles’ Boulevard 3 April 30. Live Nation can rest easy, though, even though StubHub has the financial ability to promote dozens of major shows annually.

“You know, I don’t think that’s the intention right now,” StubHub spokesman Glenn Lehrman told Pollstar. “We partnered with AEG a couple years ago and they’re in a much better position to lead with primary and promote, and we’re in a much better position to provide the secondary support.

“This concert series was more about giving back to local community, grassroots music education. One of the angles we’ve been focusing on is event discovery, helping consumers find where to go and what to do. We thought being able to offer an intimate concert experience with artists in under-plays would be a great way to promote the notion of discovery. You’ll see in the coming months we’ll have more to talk about that will tie it together.”

That said, StubHub will “certainly continue this charitable concert series” in the future, Lehrman said.