Live Events and Live Streaming

            Since the launch of iTunes in 2003, there have been a number of boding occurrences throughout the entertainment industry, suggesting a massive swing in operational momentum. We’re far removed from the days in which artists had to format their content based on what would sell best. With the inception of social media aggregators and video streaming sites, companies are adapting their strategies, employed to connect with primary and tertiary demographics of consumers. This particular pattern of innovation has recently branched into the world of live events, namely concerts. With live streaming aggregator start-ups like EvntLive, Stage It and WeLiveLive, the focus for many artists and their teams is to utilize alternate media outlets to shop their content to prospective fans.

            In an interview published by Billboard.com, co-founders of EvntLive, David Carrico and Judy Estrin, spoke on the inevitability of concert streaming becoming the next captivating concept that stretches the boundaries of entertainment. Estrin made the point that, with the myriad of technological advances associated with data transfer (industrial and consumer statistics considered), streaming is a cost-efficient and aesthetically beneficial avenue to pursue in expanding the demographic one’s content is exposed to (Peoples, 2013). Independent live streaming aggregators like Stage It are a byproduct of this knowledge.

            The crossover between live events and live streaming is also very heavily enthralled in its beta period around the market. In April of 2014, Yahoo and Live Nation Entertainment announced a joint venture in which Yahoo would stream 365 of Live Nation’s concerts over the proceeding year (Hampp, 2014). Billboard got a comment from Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino informing the rhetoric behind the move. He explained that the production costs associated with filming a concert have gone down since the glory days of HBO concert series. With this, the monetary benefits of a pay-per-view format will more than compensate for any losses incurred during rebranding.