MSG UNVEILS THE VENUE OF THE FUTURE

James Dolan and Irving Azoff unveiled the arena of the future in presentations in Los Angeles and New York. The first one will be built in Las Vegas, the second in….

London where it will reportedly rival the 20k capacity O2 Arena, which is operated by AEG. Could this add further fuel to an ongoing feud between the two firms?

They’re calling it MSG Sphere, which is both a venue and a concept. In Las Vegas, they will break ground in June with an opening planned for 2020. The Sphere, on Sands Avenue with a pedestrian bridge connecting to the Venetian and Palazzo complex, will seat 18,500 and filled with cutting-edge video and audio technologies.

The intention is to use the Sphere for performances, gaming, corporate events, raves…the list goes on.

“No longer is the venue a place to spectate. It’s a place to go and participate,” Dolan told an invited crowd at Radio City Music Hall where the venue’s possibilities were demonstrated through VR and audio stations on the massive Radio City stage.

In London, MSG Sphere is being built on five acres next to Westfield Stratford City shopping center, according to a report from Music Business Worldwide. The area is also home to the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, a sporting complex built for the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics.

Dolan, MSG’s Executive Chairman and CEO, said: “London is one of the world’s greatest cities, and we are delighted to be taking this first step towards making it the location for MSG’s first international venue.

“We believe that a large-scale, next-generation venue will not only become a premier destination, but also drive growth in London’s overall music and entertainment market—benefiting artists and fans, and serving as a long-term investment in the future of this incredible city.”

Azoff, chairman and CEO of Azoff MSG Entertainment, unveiled a condensed version at the 2018 Pollstar Live! Conference, calling it a "model for the next millennium," and "an iconic venue, the first of its kind."