Welcome to the inaugural IMPACT International: Australia / New Zealand feature.
VenuesNow takes a look at five of the brightest minds from the buoyant industry Down Under who have done remarkable things to keep things moving.
2024 was a year where business set new standards and new attendance records. International tours continued to flourish, with the three of the biggest this year – Taylor Swift, P!nk and Fred…again – selling over a combined 1.8 million tickets.
Not only did they build up from phenomenal multimillion-dollar success for Ed Sheeran and Elton John in recent years but these tours actively brought new audiences into the loop.
40% of those who attended seven Taylor shows in Melbourne and Sydney – young and old – had never been to a concert before. The increased crowds who came to see P!nk suggested the honorary Australian had generated a wider fan base since her last visit.
Fred…again with his impromptu approach to announcing shows ended up with the biggest EDM tour in Australia and New Zealand.
There were challenges: The long tail of COVID, cost of living issues, higher ticket prices, unpredictable behaviour by younger fans and the growing irrelevance of some business models in the live sector. These were just some of them.
But the five executives making their Impact showed great foresight and invested heavily in the future. They were fearless about seizing the day and making changes.
It was through the double-pronged approach of using state-of-the-art technology and upskilling of their teams that they could amplify the concept of customer experience and engagement.
The five worked closely with governments and tourism bodies to enlarge and diversify business, worked tirelessly to bring more international events to draw the punters, and to add to their individual capacities and encourage new competition.
More importantly, the five never took their focus away from building and training the next generation of executives… to work with the next generation of fans.
The report on some of the high performing venues makes good reading as some of their operators showed a human face of doing good business.
STEVE HEVERN
General Manager, Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney
After Qudos Bank Arena set a new record 2023, its first full year of operation post-COVID, by shifting 1,018,497 tickets, Steve Hevern is forecasting 2024 to be “just as buoyant as we look to finish the year strongly to maintain our position as the number one destination for live entertainment in Australasia.”
He’s initiated greater fan experience, including immersive 360 cameras, make-up artists and product sampling on arrival, more seating and in-seat service options for corporate customers, pre- and post- show premium offerings for card members, and multicultural offerings as signage, bilingual content and bilingual staff.
As a former board member of the Talent Development Project, Hevern is pushing to review busking laws to allow emerging musicians to play the arena’s external forecourt, and as board member of the Sydney Olympic Park Business Association, lobbying for the new Metro line and Light Rail projects to include stations within the Park.
ANGELICA DEVOE
Managing Director, Ticketmaster New Zealand
Having served at Ticketmaster and Australian independent Moshtix since 2007, Anjelica Devoe worked at the International Federation of Association Football and the NZ All Blacks rugby team before returning to Ticketmaster in 2020 as it launched Moshtix in New Zealand.
“2024 is shaping up to be another record year for us here in Aotearoa (NZ),” she said. “We’ve delivered some incredible events already and are excited about what the remainder of the year is set to bring.”
Devoe is lauded for heavy investment in fan-experience technology, focus on market expansion, new product launches, and maintaining client relationships as partners.
“Underpinning all of this is a team of hard-working, dedicated and incredibly talented humans at Ticketmaster New Zealand,” she said. “Our people are at the heart of everything we do, and all of this could not come together without them. They are the reason we continue to push the boundaries and set new standards for the industry.”
MIKE McKENNA
CEO, Optus Stadium, Perth
From a GM role in sports codes where he introduced game-changing initiatives, Mike McKenna joined VenuesLive in 2016 as CEO of its new 61,266-capacity Optus Stadium.
In the past year, it drew just over 1.83 million, including 250,000 at four concerts. “It is forecast that more than 1.67 million fans and our 10 millionth fan, will attend stadium events in 2024/25,” he said.
While continuing to entice more international sports shoot-outs, McKenna is overseeing the expansion of the stadium precinct with non-event day attractions, more venue tours and rooftop adventures, Christmas markets, and community events.
Being on the board of the Tourism Council of Western Australia gives McKenna a clout with government circles. Last November the state paid A$8 million (US$5.2 million) for two exclusive Coldplay shows. Of the 130,000 at two nights at Optus Stadium, 40,000 were out-of-towners, injecting well over the forecast A$68 million ($44.4 million) into the economy, and paving the way for more A-list events.
MARK GOSLING
General Manager, Spark Arena, Auckland
Mark Gosling started as a UK-based talent manager and agent, before arriving in NZ 20 years ago. He worked at the Big Day Out festival before becoming head of stadium events at Regional Facilities Auckland and CEO at the Trusts Arena.
Joining Spark Arena in 2020, he rewrote the rulebook and expanded its content. In 2023, it smashed all attendance records. It could repeat that success in 2024: “The first half of has definitely been strong,” he said.
Expanding capacity from 12,000 to 13,280 has increased promoters’ interest, and made it more attractive to round-stage events such as boxing and UFC.
Spark Arena’s success, he says, has made it more viable to tour nationally. “It really has changed the whole ecosystem of both domestic and international music touring and sport and has become a major gateway for live entertainment.”
In December, Gosling steps down after two terms as chair of the Entertainment Venues Association of New Zealand (EVANZ).
BRIAN CHLADIL
CEO, Oztix
Noting that small and medium-sized venues and festivals were not getting the same treatment from major ticketers, Brian Chladil co-founded OzTix in 2003.
“Over 20 years ago we realised before others that ticketing online was the future, and empowered bands and venues to sell their own tickets, and drive traffic to their merchandise and other shows,” Chladil said.
Spending A$2 million ($1.3 million) a year upgrading its technology, OzTix quickly became the largest independent ticketer, with 600 clients, 4,000 events listed at any one time and sales of 2 million last year.
The outspoken Chladil helped set up the Australian Live Music Business Council representing 600 members of the small and medium sectors. “We got the ear of governments from just the big boys, and got their funding away from large festivals to grassroots venues and artist development, and managed to broker insurance deals for our members,” he said.
