As President, Media & Conferences, Ray Waddell, steers OVG’s rapidly expanding portfolio of media properties, including the print and digital platforms for VenuesNow, Pollstar, Pollstar Daily Pulse, and pollstar.com; and the company’s investment in sports technology media company SportTechie.com.
As a journalist, Waddell has covered the live entertainment business for over 30 years, predominantly for Billboard, where he was Executive Director, Content and Programming, for Touring & Live Entertainment. He joined the Billboard family in 1987 as a Los Angeles-based reporter before relocating back to his home town of Nashville in 1991 to continue covering the live business as the industry changed dramatically.
Waddell’s byline has appeared an estimated 10,000 times under the Billboard banner, where he wrote features and news coverage on the global touring industry and other music-related topics for Billboard, Billboard.com, Billboard.biz, and Billboard Bulletin. He was a columnist for 20 years, with his weekly On The Road column considered a “must read” for touring industry professionals. Waddell has interviewed countless music industry professionals and the most successful artists of all time, including Billboard cover features on Bruce Springsteen, Kenny Chesney, Coldplay, Paul McCartney, Tim McGraw, Roger Waters, the Eagles, Phish, Dave Matthews Band, the Who, Garth Brooks, Chelsea Handler, Miranda Lambert, Bon Jovi, Imagine Dragons, Kings Of Leon, Billy Joel, Kid Rock, and many others.
Ray Waddell has covered—and often forecasted—virtually every significant trend in the dynamic live music business in the contemporary era. His contacts in the industry are second to none. As the industry’s leading journalist, Waddell is highly informed on issues related to touring, concert promotion, event marketing, booking, artist management, ticketing, festivals, sponsorships, production, merchandising, venues, tour deals, and any other topic related to live entertainment on a global basis, across all genres. He often serves as an industry consultant, is a frequent speaker at university music programs and industry events, and has been widely quoted as a touring business expert in such publications as USA Today, the L.A. Times, the New York Times, the Boston Herald, Time, People, Rolling Stone, Spin, NPR, CNN, and many others.
Waddell helped launch and programmed 13 consecutive Billboard Touring Conference & Awards events, which each year hosts the most influential executives, artists, dealmakers and visionaries in the live business. Speakers at the Billboard Touring Conference have included such artists as Roger Waters, John Fogerty, Halsey, Skrillex, Gene Simmons, Brad Paisley, Chris Cornell, Florida Georgia Line, Perry Farrell, Warren Haynes, and virtually every major player in the industry. At Oak View Group, Waddell will oversee existing conferences within the platform, as well as launch new events targeting the venue, touring, sports and entertainment sectors.
He is the co-author of the Random House publication “This Business of Concert Promotion & Touring,” which is considered the definitive guide to staging, promoting and marketing concerts and tours. The book has been used as required text in music business courses at Vanderbilt University, Belmont University, the University of Georgia, the Berklee College of Music, Syracuse University's Bandier Music Program, New York University, and several others.
Waddell lives on a farm North of Nashville with his wife of more than 20 years, Teri, amid five dogs, three horses, and assorted other animals.
About
As a companion conference to Pollstar Live!, Production Live! is the premier consortium for the global production and transportation sectors of the live touring industry. This one-day event will take place on Monday, February 7th and will spotlight the trends, challenges and opportunities critical to those who work in the realm of sound, lights, staging, rigging, operations, video, transportation, and stage management. Production Live! registration also includes access to the Pollstar Live! Opening Reception later that evening.
Venue
Pollstar Live! will be at The Beverly Hilton.
9876 Wilshire Blvd
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
The room block is available to registrants only and is subject to availability. Those who have registered for the event will receive hotel booking instructions in their Pollstar Live! confirmation email. If you do not receive this email, please check spam first before contacting EVENTS@OAKVIEWGROUP.COM.
FAQ
Production Live ONLY registration gives you access to the following:
One (1) day of programming (in-person) to Production Live! (Feb. 7)
Access to Production Live! lunch, breaks, and the Opening Night Reception (Feb. 7)
Pollstar Live! ONLY registration gives you access to the following:
Two (2) full days of Pollstar Live! programming (in-person) (Feb. 8 – 9)
Access to Pollstar Live! networking events, including lunches, breaks, and the Opening Night Reception
One (1) complimentary ticket to the 33rd Annual Pollstar Awards
NOTE: Pollstar Live! ONLY passes do not include access to Production Live! programming
POLLSTAR COMBO registration gives you access to the following:
Three (3) full days of Pollstar Live! programming (in-person); including Production Live! + Pollstar Live! (Feb. 7 – 9)
Access to Pollstar Live! networking events, including lunches, breaks, and the Opening Night Reception
One (1) complimentary ticket to the 33rd Annual Pollstar Awards
Pollstar Live! brings together agents, managers, promoters, talent buyers, ticketing companies, technology and brands investing in the live entertainment space from around the world. Pollstar Live! is the leading industry gathering for all stakeholders in the live entertainment space.
We do not disclose attendee information without permission. During the registration process you’ll have the opportunity to opt-in and share your information with others via the Pollstar Live! Conference app. The app will be launched prior to the event date and will allow registrants who opt-in to communicate with each other.
We continue to be in close contact with the CDC, government and local health officials, and the host hotel as we focus on strategic protocols & effective communication to foster a culture of wellness at our event. All conference attendees, including staff, will be required to show proof of vaccination prior to obtaining entry to the event. We will share additional guidelines as the event nears.
Both valet and self-parking are available on-site to conference registrants at a negotiated rate. Validation is not needed, simply advise the attendant that you are a registrant of the conference. You may be asked to show your conference badge.
All registrants are required to check in for themselves as valid identification and proof of vaccination will be required to obtain your badge.
Business Casual.