James L. Dolan & Tim Leiweke To Take Part In Fireside Chat At Pollstar Live!

As a keynote for Pollstar Live! 2024 attendees, James L. Dolan, executive chairman and CEO of Sphere Entertainment Co, and Tim Leiweke, Chairman and CEO of Oak View Group (Pollstar’s parent company) will sit down for a fireside chat Feb. 7. The conversation will explore the opening of Las Vegas premier venue Sphere and the future of live entertainment.

During the Pollstar Awards, held Feb. 7, Dolan will also receive the first-ever Visionary Award “for innovation, inspiration, and vision that will have positive and lasting impact on the live entertainment industry.”

Dolan previously appeared at Pollstar Live! 2023 during the panel “Ticketing Real Talk: Reforms, Resolutions and Risks,” along with Garth Brooks and Makan Delrahim, the former attorney general for the United States Department of Justice’s antitrust division. The discussion was moderated by The Azoff Company Chairman/CEO Irving Azoff, who is also the co-founder of Oak View Group.

This year’s edition of the annual Pollstar Live! conference, the world’s largest gathering of live professionals, takes place Feb. 6-8 at the Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles.

The conference, which includes panels, keynote conversations and network opportunities, will tackle issues affecting the opportunities and challenges currently facing live entertainment, including the economy, ticketing, sustainability and technology. Panels announced include “Golden Era 3.0: How Long Will This Boom Last (And What Can We Do to Sustain)?,” “The Role of Artists & The Live Thing in an Election Year,” “The Venue’s Role in Booking, Marketing & Maximizing Concerts,” “The Most Impactful Show Possible: Savannah Hosts Dave Matthews Band,” “Where To Go & When: Developing the Global Touring Strategy,” “How Will AI Change Live for Booking, Marketing, Operations & Risk Management” and “Sphere: Redefining the Future of Live Entertainment.”

As previously announced, Jon Bon Jovi will be a featured keynote speaker and will also be honored with the Milestone Award at the Pollstar Awards ceremony.

The first day of the conference, Production Live!, will cover staging, transportation, regulations, staffing and presentation as well as focus on the need for improved communication and a generational transition in the entertainment production sector. The keynote Q&A for Production Live!, “A Matter of Trust: The Artist/Crew Dynamic in Tedeschi Trucks Band,” will be moderated by Ray Waddell, Oak View Group’s president of media and conferences, and features Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi of the band, Tour Manager Skip Richman and Production Manager Brian Speiser.

On Feb. 7, the Pollstar Awards will take place at the historic Wiltern in Los Angeles. The ceremony honors the most successful artists, executives, tours, venues, companies and more from the live industry.

Registration for Pollstar Live! is now open. For more information about the conference, visit pollstar.live.