LOS ANGELES (CelebrityAccess MediaWire) – Live Nation has acquired one of the leading promoters in the Australian and New Zealand markets, Michael Coppel Presents.
Michael Coppel has been major figure on the Australian live entertainment scene for more than three decades. MCP produces several hundred shows annually with ticket sales totaling 1.7 million per year and the company generated a gross revenue of $117.3 million in 2011, according to Billboard.
MCP has produced shows by a who's who list of artists that includes U2, Pink, Metallica, Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, Eric Clapton, Beyonce and Rihanna. In 2009, Coppel produced Pink's monster 58-date SRO arena tour, which sold more than 658,000 tickets.
Last year, MCP was named as the top independent promoter by Billboard and made the trade publication's 25 highest-grossing promoters list, coming in at #7.
Live Nation's existing Australian & New Zealand operation, launched in 2010 and led by Luke Hede and Roger Field, will be folded into MCP and renamed Live Nation Australasia.
Coppel will helm the division as president & CEO, with Hede and Field continuing in the role of Vice Presidents-Promotions.
"We have worked with Michael Coppel on a number of tours over the years and are now extremely pleased to be welcoming such a well respected and successful promoter into our international network," said Michael Rapino, President and Chief Executive Officer of Live Nation. "Australia is the 6th largest music market in the World and an increasingly important touring market for international artists. It represents a significant part of our opportunity for international growth."
"I am delighted to be joining Live Nation and look forward to working with Luke, Roger and my current team, together with the touring teams in Los Angeles and London to firmly establish Live Nation as the leading promoter in Australia and New Zealand," said Michael Coppel. – CelebrityAccess Staff Writers
