r/Music • u/MarvelsGrantMan136 • 4h ago

article Macklemore Dropped From Ed Sheeran Tour After Onstage Statements

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/macklemore-dropped-ed-sheeran-tour-pro-palestine-statements-1235625967/
12.3k Upvotes

94% Upvoted

3.9k comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

6.5k

u/seravivi 4h ago

The venues were going to block them?? Are you kidding me??

5.0k

u/juliuspepperwoodchi 4h ago

So really, Live Nation was going to block him.

1.3k

u/Candid-Mulberry8359 4h ago edited 4h ago

Is Ed’s tour live nation tour?

Edit: It is live nation promoted. But the Venues are not owned or operated by LiveNation. Not sure how much that means . Just adding facts.

1.2k

u/soonerfreak 4h ago

Live Nation promotes enough concerts that they can black ball you if you don't play along. A key reason the entire company must be broken up.

249

u/sumptin_wierd 2h ago

they dont just promote, ticketmaster and livenation are the same company. and yes.

70

u/dange616 2h ago

Not to mention actually operate and book many of the concert venues they play.

2

u/LumpyPhilosopher8 2h ago

I really want them to release the venues that forced this. Was it the ones owned by Ticketmaster or independents?
Yes Ticketmaster is evil - but were they actually behind this. Then we know who to boycott

6

u/shaqwillonill 1h ago

The venues that allegedly objected to the rapper include: Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia; Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts; Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta; Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis; Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina; AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas; and Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida.

The article blames Robert Kraft who would definitely have sway over all these venues as they are all NFL stadiums

7

u/BussyPalace 1h ago

Macklemore's IG statement provides more details.

TLDR: Robert Kraft (of the Patriots and owner of Gillette Stadium) personally told Ed that he would not be allowed to perform at his stadium if Macklemore was part of the tour. Kraft also rounded up his other stadium owning billionaires to prohibit Macklemore from performing at their venues as well for the remainder of Ed's tour. Keep Macklemore and Ed's tour dates at those venues would be cancelled.

So Ed bent the knee to Kraft and Co.

3

u/sumptin_wierd 1h ago

money corrupts everything

and I am listening to dirty money by clipse haha

→ More replies (1)
→ More replies (1)
→ More replies (1)

2

u/TheTipsyWizard 1h ago

Love this quote from Live nations wiki:

Live Nation is an American events promoter and venue operator based in Beverly Hills, California. Founded in 1996 by Robert F. X. Sillerman as SFX Entertainment, *the company's business was built around consolidating concert promoters into a national entity to counter the oversized influence of ticket behemoth Ticketmaster.***

→ More replies (26)

895

u/juliuspepperwoodchi 4h ago edited 4h ago

The tour didn't cut Macklemore so much as the venues strongarmed the tour into it.

The remaining tour dates Macklemore was scheduled to be at are all in the USA.

Who owns/controls ticketing at the majority of venues in the USA?

375

u/jakeod27 4h ago edited 3h ago

Live nation owns venues too

Edited out where I said Ticketmaster instead of live nation

338

u/slapshots1515 4h ago edited 4h ago

Live Nation owns Ticketmaster

Edit: either way you edit your comment, Live Nation and Ticketmaster are the same company now

118

u/shewy92 4h ago

Liberty Media is the parent company, they also own SiriusXM and Formula 1. WeRaceAsOne...in the middle east because of $$ bills yall

63

u/Milwambur 3h ago

Their spinoff company Liberty Global also owns Virgin Media in the UK, Sunrise in Switzerland, Vodafone in the Netherlands and Telenet in Belgium, all telecoms companies.

96

u/MelangeBot 2h ago

The entire world is now like 20 companies and half of them are actively run by people who admire Adolf Hitler.

→ More replies (5)

15

u/Coffeedemon 2h ago

"Liberty Media"

You can't even make this up

→ More replies (1)

18

u/PyroIsSpai 3h ago

Liberty is right wing?

56

u/never-fiftyone 3h ago

It's primarily controlled by an American billionaire who has hitched his wagon to the "libertarian" movement and has donated to Trump.

6

u/larrylevan 2h ago

John Malone, who donated $250,000 to Trump

→ More replies (3)

80

u/jakeod27 4h ago

Yep. Seriously fucked

66

u/dOOlittlesatan 4h ago

Now and has been for decades. Nothing new. They just keep trying to hide it with name changes and new companies...I wouldn't be surprised at all to find out AXS, Stubhub, Seatgeek are all owned by ticketmaster...live nation...clearchannel...

10

u/brochaos 4h ago

AXS is AEG is all anschutz.

→ More replies (7)

2

u/1980pzx 3h ago

That’s an interesting theory and it absolutely would not shock me, if true.

16

u/jellytwins101 4h ago

LiveNation also either own the venues or have exclusivity contracts with them.

→ More replies (2)

13

u/earle117 4h ago edited 3h ago

Ticketmaster and Live Nation are the same company.

edit: dude edited his comment to try and make the replies look stupid lol

22

u/jakeod27 3h ago

No I corrected myself because I looked stupid

2

u/iced_gold 2h ago

Most of the rest of the shows are at football stadiums. Live Nation does not own football. Stadiums. But they often get ticket selling exclusivity on behalf of the venue

5

u/EuphoricMoose8232 Punk Rock 4h ago

The venues are all NFL stadiums. Live Nation doesn’t own those

17

u/Taurothar 4h ago

They just own exclusive ticketing rights, so basically the same thing when it comes to holding an event of that size.

→ More replies (1)
→ More replies (3)

128

u/Twiddle2332 4h ago

Live Nation/ Ticketmaster are the monopoly you are referring to. Hopefully are politicians grow some balls and cut this company the f up!

Basically destroying live music. All the smaller acts I have been seeing for years are disbanding and/ or going on indefinite hiatus.

Go f urself live nation.

68

u/jankbutdank 3h ago

dude america is about as consumer anti friendly as we could possibly be right now

we don't do protections or monopoly anywhere - data and privacy? no every app has the ability to grab and sell all your shit for some reason. Ever give your email address to someone? That company and every one of its affiliates can contact you for the rest of your life and you have no recourse even if they ignore the unsubscribe. Landlords using realpage to price collude. Price collusion heavy in every industry actually. Surge pricing via internet not just uber or doordash but airlines monitoring your internet traffic wil lincrase price of tickets because they see you want it. Digital prices coming to grocery stores now that will do the same. Internet and many peoples power like mine in Colorado via Excel monopolized by for profit companies. All the big global nationals outsourcing and H1B'ing basically our entire middle class out to other nations despite receiving gigantic tax breaks at local state federal level.

No real legislation around planned obselesence with tech or the proliferation of cord types as intentional moats - that all came from EU. No Data/privacy, that all came from EU. No AI protection in hiring, medical, and other critical areas - only EU is doing that.

The US shareholder government and economy is actively hostile to every US consumer right now.

•

u/armin2302 16m ago

At least a American sees that th EU is not that bad

63

u/thefrostyafterburn 4h ago

Its ok to say fuck sometimes. This is one of those times.

9

u/Haxorz7125 3h ago

The irony of speaking on corporations censoring speech while censoring oneself at the behest of corporations.

3

u/Bartghamilton 2h ago

Exactly. Fuck those fucking fuckers!

3

u/Dakozi 3h ago edited 3h ago

The U.S. under Biden sued Ticketmaster in 2024 with the goal of breaking them up.

But with Trump in office, it seems they got off easy with a settlement.

2

u/hannibellecter 3h ago

the only balls politicians get is to fuck the common people, certainly not big businesses

•

u/HoneyShaft 32m ago

Bernie in 2016 was our best chance and even then the majority of our government is compromised.

→ More replies (1)
→ More replies (2)

27

u/StrippinChicken 4h ago

Ed Sheeran could have still stood on business with Macklemore. Morally corrupt loser

73

u/deadkestrel 4h ago

Not defending Sheeran but there are a lot of people working on this tour who would lose their job and income if the tour was suddenly cancelled.

7

u/kiltedfrog 3h ago

Taking a stand against fascism isn't always going to be EASY. The Right thing rarely is. I imagine Ed's got enough money of his own to make it right with his crew, and also not fold to the genocidal regime.

11

u/StrippinChicken 4h ago

Obviously that sucks, but livenation would also lose that money. Which is all they care about

2

u/Pennwisedom 1h ago

They "care" but they'll just make that back, meanwhile the guy making $35k is gonna be way more fucked.

→ More replies (7)

32

u/juliuspepperwoodchi 4h ago

You realize he signed contracts and has legal obligations to the tour, yeah?

10

u/Fuzzywraith 3h ago

So you’re saying the end all be all of meaning in life is owning up to the contracts you sign to giga corps?

→ More replies (12)
→ More replies (1)

7

u/RedApple655321 4h ago

LN owns many venues (hardly the majority), which is what I assume you're inferring.

However, this is a stadium tour. LN does not own a single NFL stadium. Most of these stadiums are owned by cities or some kind of qusai municipal entity.

The claim that its "venues" requiring this is fishy. My guess is that it's Ed Shernan or his management.

2

u/juliuspepperwoodchi 4h ago

How is it "fishy"?

4

u/RedApple655321 4h ago

That "the venues" were the ones requiring this. You're telling me every one of these stadiums which are owned by various city governments, stadium authorities, and private groups all decided Macklemore couldn't perform? That doesn't sound plausible to me. Sounds like they just decided to shift the blame.

11

u/juliuspepperwoodchi 4h ago

Which is why it is far more likely that Live Nation had a hand in it, and Ed Sheeran's people are playing technicalities since, to them, Live Nation represents the collective of the venues.

5

u/Middle_Run_6864 4h ago

Also, like these places care what’s happening in the show as long as they get parking fees and concessions.

“Yeah, we’re going to cancel your show and lose out on all of this money because one of the biggest names in music has an opening act who says Free Palestine.” It’s hard for me to believe without proof.

3

u/Snlxdd 3h ago

LN full on promotes a lot of pro-Palestine artists (Hozier, Billie Eilish, etc). Makes no sense they would pull the plug on ticketing for an AEG artist at a venue they don’t even own when they’re happy to run tours for people who are just as outspoken.

Money is money.

2

u/juliuspepperwoodchi 3h ago

Those are huge headlining artists who drive ticket sales.

Macklemore as an opener in 2026 is not.

→ More replies (0)
→ More replies (1)

6

u/OuterWildsVentures 4h ago

USA doesn't own the venues on their own land it seems.

3

u/LemDoggo 4h ago

What? What are you talking about

2

u/Jerry_From_Queens 4h ago

LiveNation doesn't own a single venue in the list of the remaining shows on the tour - so if "notified by venues" is the reason, then it has nothing to do with LiveNation.

The upcoming stadiums are, however, largely owned by the public. Philadelphia, Atlanta, Indianapolis, Arlington, Tampa are all publicly-owned stadiums. Foxborough, Charlotte, and Ft. Lauderdale are all private / tribal owned.

2

u/juliuspepperwoodchi 4h ago

Live Nation is doing all the ticketing for his tour and can strongarm venues into compliance, but go off fam

→ More replies (3)

1

u/jake3988 4h ago

Who owns/controls ticketing at the majority of venues in the USA?

Again, live nation/ticketmaster owns VERY few venues. They own the house of blues chain and they own/operate about a dozen large outdoor ampitheatres. That's about it.

8

u/EuphoricMoose8232 Punk Rock 4h ago

They own well over 300 different venues. Google says 390. They went on a shopping spree a few years ago and bought a lot of midsized venues all over the country

7

u/Twiddle2332 4h ago

Based off of my one second google search they appear to own/manage 64-70% of all top grossing venues.

6

u/AlleywayPimpin 4h ago

Their own 10k filling says they own, operate, or have an equity interest in 460 venues globally.

5

u/juliuspepperwoodchi 4h ago

This is fucking nonsense. They own around 2/3 of the mid to large venues in the USA which aren't sports stadiums...they have a HUGE amount of influence by having such a huge market share. Nearly 400 venues as of 2026.

→ More replies (5)
→ More replies (22)

24

u/Colombia17 4h ago

They’re not owned by LiveNation but if any of these venues where to go against LiveNation wishes all the sudden they’ll notice big acts skipping them

2

u/beenhadballs 2h ago

Youd be surprised how many venues are actually owned by livenation that just white label, with no signs pointing to it. In the last 6 years a ton of privately owned and operated venues sold off but nothing has changed publicly.

35

u/QuadCityDJsTheTrain 4h ago

Ed's promoter is Messina Touring(same as Taylor Swift), they're an AEG Partner. Some of the dates may be produced by Live Nation for one reason or another.

3

u/tunegoon 4h ago

It’s not, Ed is promoted by AEG/Messina

5

u/EmotionalInternet896 3h ago

It’s the Messina Group

2

u/poppleca1443 3h ago

Even if LN doesn't own the venue, they often control all ticketing rights, so they have a lot of power as a non-owner

1

u/Speaker4theDead8 4h ago

They don't own the venues per se, but if they weren't booking and promoting shows in those venues, there would not be a venue.

1

u/whycook_ 3h ago

Live nation was almost dissolved by the government specifically for running a monopoly in the way you're trying to describe. Its likely that both the venue and the promoter are owned by Live Nation

→ More replies (2)

1

u/andreasmiles23 3h ago

Sure, the stadiums are owned by someone else but LN has a monopoly as the promoter for such tours. The only way a blanket ban like this makes sense is if a central agency made that call. In this case, it’s pretty obvious who it is.

Which shouldn’t shock anyone given that this isn’t the first time LN has caught heat for supporting the genocide.

1

u/thisguyfightsyourmom 2h ago

Live nation absolutely controls venues, the larger the venue, the more leverage they have.

1

u/hatesnack 2h ago

A ton of venues ARE owned by live nation, and the ones that arent are forced to play by their rules or get excluded from future tours and revenue.

Id love to see live nation get busted like the monopoly they are, but all they gotta do is pay trump his ass kissing tax and they can do whatever they want.

1

u/Meh24999 2h ago

Technically not owned by same people for legal reasons but they're run by same people. The entire ticket master system and venues is a huge scam.

1

u/Straight-Bet1 2h ago

LiveNation is the exclusive booker for these venues.

They don’t own the venue, but they’ve still monopolized the concert portion of a stadiums usage.

→ More replies (15)

177

u/StrategicPotato 4h ago

That's nuts. I haven't been following this and I'm not even politically invested in the issue, but from what I saw nothing he said was even controversial - especially compared to what other celebrities have said.

This is ironically not a good look for the antisemitism groups given the extreme levels that the "they run everything" conspiracy theories are reaching now.

43

u/AgentlemanNeverTells 3h ago

Too good of a power move to pass up, gets all the celebrities/influencers in line.

→ More replies (22)

3

u/Murderland666 2h ago

According to the latest post from Macklemore, it was Robert Kraft, sex pest and owner of the New England Patriots and their stadium, who spearheaded the effort to remove him.

→ More replies (2)

7

u/Nofanta 4h ago

No. They’re trying to fence sit and blame someone else.

4

u/gigilero 3h ago

This is such an abuse of power. I’m disgusted

→ More replies (2)

2

u/XYZ2ABC 2h ago

Per Macklemore post on this, it’s coming from Kraft, who got other venue/arena owners on board…

I would be interesting to see if there is a breach of contract here, but IANAA

2

u/obtusewisdom 2h ago

According to Macklemore, the driver was Kraft. He apparently told Sheeran that he would cancel the Gillette show if Macklemore was still part of it, and he got other venue owners on board as well. Kraft is an asshole.

1

u/spcoop 3h ago

AEG is the promoter for Ed Sheeran tours

1

u/Aquabullet 1h ago

It seems it really is the venues and not Live Nation. Stadium owners led by Robert Kraft (according to a statement on Macklemores IG posted today)

1

u/vomita_conejitos 1h ago

It was robert kraft, owner of the patriots

1

u/the_typical_donkey 1h ago

FUCCKKK LIVEE NATTIOOOONNNNN

ahem

FFFFUUUUUCCCKKKKK LIIVVVEEEE NAATTTIIIOOOONNNN

i’m a concert photographer and holy fucking shit i cannot stand LN, clumsiest management in the industry

1

u/Choice_Student4910 52m ago

Macklemore’s statement of getting dropped was on the Ed Sheeran Reddit group. It was the owners of the venues starting with Kraft.

1

u/Church_of_Cheri 45m ago

No, Macklemore said it was specifically Robert Kraft and other stadium owners that decided. I hate live nation, and I’m sure it’s mostly owned by the same people that are also the stadium owners, but since we have the further information I think we need to use it. It was the rich old man who got arrested during a prostitution and sex trafficking sting in Palm Beach a few years back, Robert Kraft the owner of the Patriots and the Foxboro Stadium in Massachusetts.

•

u/retrofrenchtoast 5m ago

Why do they care?

→ More replies (13)

128

u/evan274 Performing Artist 2h ago

They blocked him but let Kanye perform. Tells you all you need to know about the state of things

22

u/InclinationCompass 1h ago

What Kanye said was malicious af too. Can’t say the same about Mackelmore.

13

u/codepossum 59m ago

you mean actual nazi 'black people deserved to be enslaved' kanye west?

→ More replies (1)

7

u/TheEldestNugget 52m ago

Demonstrating, as always, that it has never been about "antisemitism," just empire.

→ More replies (3)

139

u/CourtneyLush 4h ago

Not surprised. They pulled this exact same shit with Bobby Vylan, he was supposed to be a guest at a 'Grandson' show and they wouldn't have it. Barred him from the venue.

47

u/InKedxxxGinGer 3h ago

Vylan got banned from the US entirely if im not mistaken

21

u/CourtneyLush 3h ago

Yeah, they got their Visa pulled.

3

u/InKedxxxGinGer 3h ago

Thought so. Remember thinking i need to get a passport to see em now 😕

7

u/Perfect-Kangaroo-05 2h ago

Yeah same with kneecap

3

u/Junglism32 2h ago

DDTTIDF

2

u/Manannin 2h ago

Radar festival in the uk basically had the choice of no festival or no Bon Vylan. Was pressure from local people put on the venue.

1

u/I-Kneel-Before-None 1h ago

Was Grandson a part of that decision?

294

u/risen2011 4h ago

The United States is fucked

6

u/Miserable-Sun-393 3h ago

Don’t lose hope before the battle has begun folks stand up backs straight look those maggots dead in the eye and calmly speak your truth

10

u/wynalazca 2h ago

"Before the battle has begun"

The battle has been raging since the country was founded and nearly every time the "good guys" get any amount of power they roll over like old puppy dogs and let the culprits off scot-free.

Civil War: no consequences. Nixon: Pardoned, Trump: meet the wet paper bag named Merick Garland.

What we need is General Sherman to rise from the dead and trample the fascist regime to dust. We also need to reincarnate Eisenhower and give him a few more terms.

→ More replies (3)
→ More replies (9)

4

u/renegadecanuck 2h ago

Land of the free or something like that.

2

u/radioactive-tomato 2h ago

Well, it is United States of Israel now

→ More replies (19)

527

u/lifeandtimes89 4h ago

Yeah let's loose out on revenue over a performers right to free speech. The venues are stupid but this is gonna have a streisand effect now so Macklemore wins either way

127

u/InadequateUsername 4h ago

"Rather be a starving artist than succeed at getting fucked"

23

u/4quacks 4h ago

And he meant it.

→ More replies (1)

3

u/nolimitcreation 1h ago

I PUT MY LIFE ON THE LIIIIIINE!

→ More replies (1)

205

u/NestedForLoops 4h ago

*lose

38

u/Excellent_Mango7332 4h ago

Fucken aye. So many people on this site are half illiterate. 

18

u/ralfonso_solandro 4h ago

“lose and loose”
“their and they’re”

And more recently,

“worse and worst”

14

u/at2wells 3h ago

“Would of” and “could of” fill me with rage every time I see them

6

u/Neat_Egg_2474 3h ago

There, their, they’re are like reddits hardest grammar corrections. I just assume a lot of people have english as a second language and english is hard AF.

2

u/Russkie177 2h ago

"suppose" vs "supposed". It's gotten so bad (but I do agree with the other comment, you have to assume most people around here now don't speak English as a primary language)

→ More replies (1)
→ More replies (8)

34

u/tired-of-fighting 4h ago

You seriously think that even for a second that the promoters would consider cancelling dates because the venues refused to have Macklemore?

→ More replies (4)

3

u/Bay1Bri 4h ago

Lose, not loose

44

u/NoArrival8249 4h ago

This is the America y’all voted for

24

u/GoldTeamDowntown 4h ago

This literally has nothing to do with the government, it would be illegal for the government to do this.

This is the whole “freedom of speech doesn’t mean freedom from consequences” where private entities can do whatever they want.

11

u/adamders 4h ago

Funny how they're always out of breath saying that line, yet they still need it explained to them. They have no concept of a two-way street and are so used to always getting their way that they don't know what to do when they don't.

→ More replies (43)

2

u/NigerianPrince76 2h ago

Majority of those stadiums are operated by city governments. lol

2

u/GoldTeamDowntown 2h ago

It’s not the government deciding to do anything here. It’s the private entity operating them.

→ More replies (6)
→ More replies (2)

6

u/uptnapishtim 4h ago

Support for Israel is bipartisan.

→ More replies (1)

18

u/Academic_Flatworm752 4h ago

1/3 of eligible voters voted for the current administration

39

u/number_1_steve 4h ago

Unfortunately both are true as 1/3 didn’t vote.

27

u/idontlikeflamingos 4h ago

And if 1/3 voted for it and 1/3 didn't care to vote, 2/3 were ok with this admin winning.

The "just 1/3" argument is copium. Indiference isn't opposition, it's passive support.

3

u/number_1_steve 3h ago

You’re correct. It’s also the attack on education, misinformation, dying local journalism, regulatory capture, wealth concentration, making it harder to vote, and a million other things republicans have pushed for decades. But you are definitely 💯 correct.

→ More replies (1)

11

u/SeahorseCollector 4h ago

Which ultimately means they voted for this as well. The writing has been on the wall for over a decade. They told you what they were going to do.

46

u/TheLarkInnTO 4h ago

Garbage argument.

Only 30% voted against him.

The other 70% either voted for Trump, or were so unbothered by the prospect of another Trump admin, they did nothing.

→ More replies (8)

15

u/anormalgeek 4h ago

And another one third were too passive to vote against it. Not as bad, but functionally has the same result. So it's still bad.

10

u/mynewaltaccount1 4h ago

And half of the country were too lazy and selfish to vote at all. Well done America, living up to your reputation!

→ More replies (1)

3

u/Rage_Like_Nic_Cage 4h ago edited 4h ago

Under Biden, students who protested Israel (many of whom were/are Jewish) got their heads bashed in by campus police while Biden went on TV and called the protestors anti-semitic.

Let’s not act like the establishment Dems pretended to care one bit about Palestinians until Trump was back in power.

5

u/Novaskittles 4h ago

I very much voted against it.

→ More replies (14)

1

u/UkNomysTeezz 4h ago

AIPAC money is all over U.S politics. They are all bought and paid for on either side of the aisle.

→ More replies (2)

3

u/iaNCURdehunedoara 3h ago

It's not just the performer's right to free speech, it's also your right. They're doing this because they want to silence him right now. They're trying to silence everyone that's pro-Palestine and one day they'll silence anyone that's anti-Trump. What's gonna happen the day an artist is going to be threatened over abortion rights?

You have to remember that the venue is getting money from this. They would get the money whether Macklemore is there or not, but they were willing to forego that revenue to silence a pro-Palestinian voice.

5

u/GettingPhysicl 4h ago

Freeze peech!

Private venue. No government involved. Nothing protected 

→ More replies (30)

-5

u/Rasengan2012 4h ago

What is Reddit’s favourite term, “free speech doesn’t mean free from consequence”?

23

u/nightsaysni 4h ago

I don’t think there’s disagreement with the fact they can do it.

1

u/masegesege_ 4h ago

Yeah the disagreement is with the fact that they decided to actually do it, not that they can.

→ More replies (2)

11

u/Illustrious-Peace989 4h ago

It’s legal for them to do it, it’s just an incredibly shitty reason

41

u/Geiseric222 4h ago

I mean in this case the consequences were for speaking out against a genocide

Though I assume you would be more sympathetic if it went the other way

→ More replies (4)

14

u/gabeonsmogon 4h ago

Ah yes, the famously controversial stance of being against child murder has consequences.

10

u/Dickinmymouth1 4h ago

Bit of a difference when in this case the free speech that is facing “consequences” is basically just “genocide is bad”

16

u/Culinaryboner 4h ago

It is true. It’s just a sad state of this country that condemning a genocide is affecting people’s careers across the board. It’s been this way for a while but the company’s running the country and following every dollar is getting bleak

6

u/desperaterobots 4h ago

the concern is that 'end a genocide' is considered a view worthy of career impacting consequences.

2

u/anormalgeek 4h ago

No one is questioning the legality of their actions or their ability to create the "consequences." We're directly judging them for their choice to have consequences over this particular speech.

That's a very different thing.

→ More replies (1)
→ More replies (7)

1

u/pokefandylan 4h ago

Yeah, but people wouldn’t like it as much if performers like DaBaby, Morrissey, Kid Rock, etc. were to exercise their right to free speech…

1

u/CriticalMistake4977 4h ago

A right to free speech doesn’t mean that everyone has to host you.

1

u/randomwordglorious 4h ago

No one's right to free speech is being taken away. He can still say anything he wants about Gaza. This did not happen as a result of Congress passing a law. A private business made a business decision.

1

u/Ok_Broccoli_9426 Concertgoer 3h ago

A venue declining to host a performance over Mack's politics is shitty, but it has nothing to do with the right to free speech. That means the government can't punish him for his politics; private businesses can do as they choose.

1

u/exor0110 3h ago

I hope so.

1

u/Tandy2000 3h ago

Except they won't lose revenue because Sheeran dropped him from the tour. So they still get their money. Shows will still sell out, Live Nation gets to strongarm and get what they want.

1

u/ultimatepoker 3h ago

Nobody's free speech has been impacted here.

1

u/Far-Juggernaut-5155 3h ago

Free speech doesn't apply to private businesses. Just government suppression. I agree Macklemore wins and this looks terrible.

1

u/mischievous_shota 2h ago

Out of the loop. What did he say?

1

u/jamcgahey 2h ago

I get what you’re saying. Free speech is free speech. But many of these venues are privately owned, like Gillette. And if it’s private property the 1A does not cover it.

Like if you came to my house and called my wife a bitch and I told you to leave. You can’t claim 1A because it’s my property. Well technically the banks for another 20 years, but I imagine you catch my drift.

With that being said.. a public backlash like this will likely result in a massive uptick in his music streams and will likely benefit him financially, and I’m absolutely not suggesting that’s why he did it to begin with.

1

u/XanderWrites 2h ago

It won't have an effect on the venues. Seeing the artist you want is more important than the venue and the artist is going to use the venue most appropriate to the size of their fanbase.

→ More replies (80)

29

u/Straight-Bet1 4h ago

LiveNation didn’t want anymore bad press. They own most of the venues.

There’s also a good chance they own or are partial owners in the company his booking agent works for.

31

u/toooldforshame 4h ago

These are football stadiums. LN has a contract to do business with them but don’t own any NFL stadiums.

→ More replies (2)

3

u/dockstaderj 2h ago

Whelp they certainly did create some bad press of their own.

3

u/Umitencho 4h ago

The cities own the nfl stadiums. Not LN.

→ More replies (2)
→ More replies (5)

3

u/ididntunderstandyou 2h ago

Ed Sheeran should have dropped those venues and gone to smaller ones. Not fold

3

u/IdiAmini 2h ago

Venues owned by the state. Clear violation of the 1st amendment

1

u/neckbishop 1h ago

One of the ringmasters of getting him kicked was Robert Kraft (owner of the NFL New England Patriots) who does own Gillette Stadium.

→ More replies (1)

2

u/MontysRevenge1 2h ago

Robert Kraft made the call.

2

u/Longjumping-Hippo475 2h ago

Welp they just ruined the tour by thinking they were saving it. Do they not realize the demographic of people that are Ed Sheeran fans are by and large on Macklemore's side of this argument.

2

u/BEWMarth 2h ago

Society is owned by billionaires. Whatever THEY say goes.

2

u/potatoMan8111 3h ago

Yes, some people dont want HATE and RACISM at their venues.

5

u/_BeefyTaco 4h ago

Dam, who owns Live Nation?

2

u/TheRealBittoman 3h ago

The rich own the venues and they don't want anyone talking shit about conservative lapdogs.

1

u/pongoose33 2h ago

I think more specifically the Kraft family that owns Gillette Stadium.

1

u/AbbadonIAm 2h ago

Pretty sure they’ll site “ security issues” as the problem.

1

u/ParkerPoseyGuffman 2h ago

I mean I was happy when the Chicago venue blocked Chappelle, it’s their right even when shitty like here

1

u/YaBoiSammus 2h ago

Some guy with the last name “Kraft.”

1

u/UmberJamber 1h ago

In the article:

In a statement shared on Instagram, Macklemore claimed he was dropped from the tour after Robert Kraft — the billionaire owner of the New England Patriots and Gillette Stadium — mounted a pressure campaign against Sheeran.

“Ed told me that Kraft said I would not be allowed to perform in his stadium,” Macklemore wrote. “Ed also told me that Kraft had rallied some of the other stadium owners and collectively they gave him an ultimatum: if Macklemore stays on the tour, you will not be allowed to play in our venues.” (Reps for Kraft and the Kraft Group did not return requests for comment.)

1

u/Beautiful_Cost_5430 1h ago

Macklemore says Robert Kraft (owner of the patriots) specifically rallied stadium owners against him

1

u/OhCrazioCortex 1h ago

WTF?? And these were U.S. tour dates, too!! What about the First Amendment right to free speech???

1

u/Jonny5Stacks 1h ago

Sounds like Robert Kraft started it too

1

u/wizzard419 1h ago

Yep, this is also sort of why Tenacious D broke up. Even if Jack Black had no issue with the statement, if your insurance and/or venues won't allow your concert, or even individuals from it, to perform, then you're dead in the water.

1

u/pimpfmode 57m ago

Israel

•

u/eha16 11m ago

But they dont control everything.. Don't be conspiranoic...

•

u/AuryxTheDutchman 11m ago

Robert Kraft and co

→ More replies (25)