Impact NextGen: Michael Owens

Moody Center in Austin, Texas, is one of the premier arenas in the country, hosting 150 shows a year and welcoming stars like Madonna, George Strait, Harry Styles, Karol G and the Eagles; grossing more than $90 million in 2023 and earning the Arena of the Year honor at this year’s Pollstar Awards.

What’s even more remarkable is that all of it was accomplished in just over two years, a factoid Vice President of Programming Michael Owens is still trying to wrap his head around.

“Matthew McConaughey truly did ‘bless the Mood’ when he cut the ribbon, and to see the building come to life … racking up a number of industry awards, being the fifth highest-grossing arena on the planet and, perhaps most gratifying, earning the respect and praise from the folks in the industry that many of us have worked our entire careers trying to endear to our buildings and markets,” Owens tells Pollstar. “There isn’t a better team in the business than the one we’ve built here, and just to be on it has been one of the highlights of my career.”

Owens couldn’t have envisioned reaching such heights when he started working in construction while in college. He was a fan of live music but wasn’t familiar with the business side of it. The prospect of being able to work in the concert biz was so intriguing that he left construction to intern at Live Nation before landing his first real job running a 1,300-cap historic theatre in Springfield, Missouri.

Having grown up just as the internet made its way into everyday life, Owens learned critical social skills that helped him ascend as a booker and navigate the music industry amid troubling times.

“[Working during the Great Recession] taught me not to take anything for granted and that this job and career I love so much, isn’t guaranteed,” Owens says. “That’s a lesson we all learned during COVID, too. I think for others in my generation, as it has for me, that lesson helps us approach each day with just a hint more gratitude, and to not squander the opportunity to work a little bit harder doing what we love to do.”

And working for a successful venue like Moody Center, which not only delivers unique experiences but also promotes sustainable practices (which Owens takes pride in), how could he not appreciate it?

“My company gives me the resources to provide a great life for my family, and they’ve hired leadership that lets me turn my passion into action and do it in creative, entrepreneurial ways … and I have all this in a world-class arena in the heart of the ‘Live Music Capital of the World.’ Why would I ever leave?”