Kelly McCormick was drawn to live entertainment early.
“The first concert I attended was Rod Stewart at what is now United Center in Chicago when I was 6 years old, and I caught the bug,” recalled McCormick. “My mom and aunt took me for my birthday present and we were in the 10th row. I was obsessed with the concert industry ever since.”
McCormick grew up watching music biopics and VH1 instead of cartoons. She studied music business at Columbia College in Chicago, where she gravitated to the student programming board and got a box office job at the Chicago House of Blues her freshman year. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Arts, Entertainment & Media Management: Live and Performing Arts Management and quickly moved to Los Angeles. Before joining Oak View Group, she was west regional director of booking for ASM Global and held the same position at Desert Diamond Arena in Arizona.
Industry veteran Jeff Apregan gave McCormick her start in Los Angeles.
“I learned everything about talent buying, booking and touring from him,” McCormick said of the industry veteran. “He was the antithesis of a gatekeeper, introducing me to everyone he knew and putting me in rooms I otherwise wouldn’t be in. He led with genuine, human connection and was a great example of someone who was kind, respected and successful in this industry. There are many times to this day where I ask myself how Jeff would handle a situation and try to emulate that.”
Due to her experience, McCormick takes mentorship and laying the foundation for future industry leaders to heart.
“Just paying it forward,” said McCormick. “There are people who have advocated for me, brought up my name in rooms I wasn’t in, and challenged me when I needed it. I hope in my position, I can do the same for someone else who is passionate about being in this business. I’d also like to help create better resources and transparency for young people trying to enter this business, whether it’s engaging with sports and entertainment schools, internship programs or industry associations.”
McCormick feels fortunate to have been part of impressive venue milestones including watching several artists hit their highest attended or highest grossing shows at Footprint Center (capacity 18,422) in Phoenix, Arizona, over the last year. While at Gila River Arena (Desert Diamond Arena, 20,000) she witnessed the highest grossing event in the building’s history with UFC 263 in June 2021 and the highest attended event in the building’s history with Harry Styles in November 2021.
“At that time, there were a lot of unknowns about how the industry would rebound and those two events were clear indicators that things were trending to get back to how it was,” said McCormick. “We also saw the building act as a voting center and a vaccination site. You realize how important these venues are, not just for fans to experience the greatest athletes and artists in the world, but also operate as beacons in the community.”
