Stepping Stones And Things To Come

Ticketmaster Plans To Require Negative COVID Test Or Vaccine To Attend Events

Paul Bois

Anyone looking to enjoy a concert sponsored by Ticketmaster in the near future will have to present evidence of being vaccinated or a negative COVID-19 test.

According to Billboard, Ticketmaster began formulating a new framework for 2021 after Pfizer announced that their COVID-19 vaccine had a 90% efficacy rate after the initial clinical trials.

“As part of that preparation, Ticketmaster has been working on a framework for post-pandemic fan safety that uses smart phones to verify fans’ vaccination status or whether they’ve tested negative for the coronavirus within a 24 to 72 hour window,” reported the outlet.

“Many details of the plan, which is still in development phase, will rely on three separate components – the Ticketmaster digital ticket app, third party health information companies like CLEAR Health Pass or IBM’s Digital Health Pass and testing and vaccine distribution providers like Labcorp and the CVS Minute Clinic,” the report continued.

If implemented, the procedure will require customers to present evidence of a COVID-19 vaccination or show that they tested negative for the virus 24 to 72 hours prior to the concert. Regional health authorities would decide the window of time between a negative test and attending the concert.

“Once the test was complete, the fan would instruct the lab to deliver the results to their health pass company, like CLEAR or IBM. If the tests were negative, or the fan was vaccinated, the health pass company would verify the attendee’s COVID-19 status to Ticketmaster, which would then issue the fan the credentials needed to access the event,” continued Billboard. “If a fan tested positive or didn’t take a test to verify their status, they would not be granted access to the event. There are still many details to work out, but the goal of the program is for fans to take care of vaccines and testing prior to the concert and not show up hoping to be tested onsite.”

Mark Yovich, president of Ticketmaster, told Billboard that third-party verification companies will soon be working to track COVID-19.

“We’re already seeing many third-party health care providers prepare to handle the vetting – whether that is getting a vaccine, taking a test, or other methods of review and approval – which could then be linked via a digital ticket so everyone entering the event is verified,” Yovich said. “Ticketmaster’s goal is to provide enough flexibility and options that venues and fans have multiple paths to return to events, and is working to create integrations to our API and leading digital ticketing technology as we will look to tap into the top solutions based on what’s green-lit by officials and desired by clients.”