Half As Much Rock & Coke

Istanbul’s Rock & Coke Festival won’t happen this year because title sponsor Coca-Cola wants to use more of its marketing budget on motor racing.

“It’s become a biennial event,” explained Pozitif Productions promoter Baris Basaran, who has already started planning the 2013 gathering. “They have decided to invest their money in sports one year and music the next year.”

In a volatile Turkish outdoor market, Rock & Coke has become the country’s major festival. It attracted more than 23,000 people per day in 2011, its best crowd since a bill topped by The Cure, Korn, The Offspring and Apocalyptica did 25,000 per day in 2005.

Pozitif intends to fill the gap in its yearly ticket sales target by starting some new events, including the 8,000-capacity Mono Istanbul (June 30) and the similarly sized Babylon Soundgardens in Istanbul (May 26) and in Cesme (Aug. 30-31).
The company also has an Istanbul show with Red Hot Chili Peppers Sept. 7.

Basaran also revealed that Pozitif has shelved the idea of starting its own ticketing company and has recently signed a new five-year deal with Ticketmaster.