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MSG Entertainment renews James Dolan’s contract

James Dolan has inked a new three-year contract to continue as the CEO and chairman of MSG Entertainment.

He will lead the New York-based live events company until June 2027, the company revealed last week in a regulatory filing.

Dolan, who is also the CEO of both MSG Sports and Sphere Entertainment Co., will be paid a base salary of $1.5 million per year for leading MSG Entertainment and will have an opportunity to make an annual bonus up to 200% of his salary, according to the filing.

He will also participate in the company’s long-term incentive plan, it adds. Beginning with the fiscal year starting July 1, 2024, he is expected to receive one or more incentive awards with a target value of at least $8.6m.

Point72 Asset Management has acquired a 5.5% stake in Sphere Entertainment Co

In the fiscal year ended 30 June 2023, Dolan earned a total compensation of $9.3m from MSG Entertainment. His compensation from Sphere Entertainment, which spun off from MSG Entertainment in 2023 ahead of the launch of the Sphere venue in Las Vegas in September, amounted to $16.3m. In addition, Dolan earned a total of $11m from MSG Sports.

In other news, billionaire hedge fund titan and owner of the New York Mets Steve Cohen’s Point72 Asset Management has acquired a 5.5% stake in Sphere Entertainment Co, which owns the state-of-the-art Las Vegas Sphere venue.

Point72 disclosed in a regulatory filing on Monday (24 June) that it acquired 1.56 million shares of Sphere Entertainment Co in the second quarter, including 582,400 Class A Common Stock shares, which are issuable upon exercise of options.

This is the second time Point72 has acquired a chunk of Sphere stock, having previously owned 262,102 shares at the end of 2023, which it sold in the first quarter, the New York Post reported.

In the wake of the news, Sphere stock jumped 7.2% to $34.84 on Tuesday.

 


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MSG boss in ‘serious talks’ over second Sphere

Madison Square Garden (MSG) boss James Dolan is reported to be in “serious talks” to build a second Sphere venue – this time in the United Arab Emirates.

According to the New York Post, Dolan is in discussions with Abu Dhabi investors about building a replica of the $2.3 billion, 20,000-cap Las Vegas Sphere, which would become MSG’s first property outside of the US.

“These are serious talks with Abu Dhabi. They keep going back and forth,” a source told The Post.

A Sphere spokesperson declined to comment on the report, which noted that the UAE capital has emerged as a frontrunner after negotiations apparently stalled with Saudi Arabia and South Korea.

The UAE’s second most populous city after Dubai, Abu Dhabi gained the 18,000-cap Etihad Arena in 2021, which has upcoming shows with the likes of Andre Rieu and Scorpions.

Wireless Festival, meanwhile, attracted 25,000 fans to Etihad Park on Yas Island for its Abu Dhabi debut in March, while November’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix’s Yasalam After-Race Concerts starred Foo Fighters, Shania Twain, Tiësto, Chris Brown and Ava Max.

The brainchild of Dolan, the futuristic Sphere features a 160,000 sq. foot LED display inside the main venue, which wraps up, over and around the audience for a fully immersive experience in cutting-edge 16K x 16K resolution. The concept launched in Las Vegas at the end of September with the 40-night U2:UV Achtung Baby Live At Sphere residency, which runs until March 2024.

American rock band Phish are the next major act to be confirmed and will deliver a four-show run from 18-21 April, while the Post reported last month that Beyoncé was in talks over a potential residency, with Bon Jovi, Paul McCartney and Lady Gaga also rumoured to be in consideration.

Sphere Entertainment said it was focusing on the “many forward-thinking cities that are eager to bring this technology to their communities”

Speaking to Variety earlier this year, MSG executive chair and CEO Dolan said it was “definitely a big part of the business plan, to build more Spheres all over the world”. “And by the way, different-size ones too – probably not much bigger than the one in Vegas, but we’ve actually gone through already architectural drawings and designs for smaller Spheres for smaller markets,” he added.

However, Sphere Entertainment said last month that it was focusing on the “many forward-thinking cities… eager to bring this technology to their communities” after its long-held plans for a 21,500-cap London spin-off were refused.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan rejected the proposals on the basis they “would result in an unacceptable negative impact on local residents”, but levelling-up secretary Michael Gove has since ordered a six-week pause as he considers whether to call in the application for the development.

In a broadside at Khan, a Sphere spokesperson alleged “the entire five-year planning process was hijacked by the Mayor and his bogus last-minute report”.

“Londoners should be dismayed that they are not going to benefit from this groundbreaking project, and others looking to invest in London should certainly be wary,” continued the statement. “Moreso, everyone should be alarmed by how easily the government’s established process was tossed aside by one politically motivated official.

“Mr Gove’s action, although commendable, still appears to us to be more of the same, and we cannot continue to participate in a process that can be so easily undermined by political winds. As we said previously, we will focus on the many forward-thinking cities.”

 


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MSG reacts after London Sphere plans rejected

Madison Square Garden (MSG) Entertainment’s plans for a Sphere venue in London have today been rejected by the Mayor of London.

The company behind the recently launched $2.3 billion Sphere in Las Vegas, US had hoped to build a 21,500-capacity replica in Stratford, east London, but local residents complained that the venue, which is lit on the outside by millions of LED lights, would affect their quality of life.

A spokesperson for the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “London is open to investment from around the world and Sadiq wants to see more world-class, ambitious, innovative entertainment venues in our city. But as part of looking at the planning application for the MSG Sphere, the Mayor has seen independent evidence that shows the current proposals would result in an unacceptable negative impact on local residents.”

The project was first announced more than five years ago and was approved in principal by the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) in March last year, despite objections from various parties. Further “significant concerns” were raised about the building’s height, bulk, massing and that it is “not a sustainable building due to high energy usage”.

“There are many forward-thinking cities that are eager to bring this technology to their communities. We will concentrate on those”

A spokesperson for MSG tells IQ: “While we are disappointed in London’s decision, there are many forward-thinking cities that are eager to bring this technology to their communities. We will concentrate on those.”

MSG’s futuristic Las Vegas Sphere launched in September to rave reviews with U2’s U2:UV Achtung Baby Live At Sphere residency. The proposed London spin-off, designed by architect Populous, would be covered in LED panels and stand almost 100m (300ft) high and 120m (360ft) wide. Recent reports suggested that developers had offered locals blackout blinds to make up for the glowing images they would be broadcasting via the structure’s external LED panels.

The venue would have been located four miles from AEG Europe’s The O2 (20,000-cap) in North Greenwich. A spokesperson for AEG, which has been a vocal opponent of the scheme and called on levelling up secretary Michael Gove to block the proposal, said it welcomed the decision.

“We welcome the Mayor of London’s decision to direct refusal of the Sphere’s planning application today,” says the firm. “We do not oppose competition in the live entertainment industry, and specifically do not oppose another large music venue in London. However, this proposal had fundamental flaws from the beginning. It was the wrong design, in the wrong location, and this was the right call.”

Today’s rejection comes a month after MSG boss James Dolan insisted the development – along with other potential spinoffs outside North America – was “still very much moving forward”.

 


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U2 add 11 Sphere shows amid ‘unprecedented demand’

U2 have added a further 11 nights to their acclaimed U2:UV Achtung Baby Live At Sphere residency, prompted by “unprecedented demand”.

The extension brings the overall total of dates at the next-generation venue to 36, with the additional shows announced for 26-27 & 31 January and 2-3, 7, 9-10, 15 & 17-18 February.

The Irish rockers have completed the first nine shows of the run, which launched to rave reviews on 29 September to open Sphere Entertainment’s $2.3 billion, 20,000-cap Sphere in Las Vegas. Dutch musician Bram van den Berg has stepped in as a temporary replacement for drummer Larry Mullen Jr, who is taking time out due to surgery.

Tickets start at US$140 (€132), with 60% of tickets priced under $300. In an effort to help minimise resale and keep ticket prices at face value, general admission floor tickets are restricted from transfer and may only be resold at the original purchase price. Hospitality packages via LN’s music-led destination experience company Vibee include premium concert seating with priority entry to Sphere and hotel rooms at The Venetian Resort.

At each performance, 50 tickets to experience the show from an exclusive VIP riser will be made available for purchase benefitting (RED), the organisation founded by Bono and Bobby Shriver in 2006 to fight AIDS.

“We’re so grateful once again to U2 for their generosity”

“We’re so grateful once again to U2 for their generosity. And we’re very excited that each U2:UV Achtung Baby Live At Sphere performance will feature an iconic (RED) Zone, which lets fans choose (RED) and save lives while enjoying the show with an excellent view of the stage,” says Jennifer Lotito, president and COO of (RED).

“Over the years, U2’s generosity has delivered nearly $23 million for (RED)’s fight to end AIDS. Thanks to U2 and U2 fans everywhere for helping (RED) make preventable and treatable disease preventable and treatable for everyone.”

MSG Entertainment boss James Dolan recently offered an update on the company’s contentious plans for MSG London Sphere, saying the scheme was “moving forward”.

Elsewhere, Post Malone has been confirmed as the opening act at another new Las Vegas venue, the BleauLive Theater. The rapper will play two shows at the 3,800-cap venue from 30-31 December, while Kylie Minogue will be the first headliner of The Venetian Resort Las Vegas’ intimate 1,000-seat venue, Voltaire, which opens on 3 November.

 


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MSG’s London Sphere plans ‘moving forward’

Madison Square Garden (MSG) Entertainment boss James Dolan says the company’s controversial MSG London Sphere scheme is “moving forward”.

MSG’s futuristic $2.3 billion Sphere at The Venetian in Las Vegas, US, launched to rave reviews last Friday with U2’s U2:UV Achtung Baby Live At Sphere residency, but progress on a proposed London replica has been slow.

But speaking to Variety, MSG executive chair and CEO Dolan insists the development – along with other potential spinoffs outside North America – is “still very much moving forward”.

“That is definitely a big part of the business plan, to build more Spheres all over the world,” he adds. “And by the way, different-size ones too – probably not much bigger than the one in Vegas, but we’ve actually gone through already architectural drawings and designs for smaller Spheres for smaller markets.”

Plans for the 21,500-cap UK venue, which would become MSG’s first property outside of the US, were first announced more than five years ago and were approved in principal by the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) in March last year, despite objections from various parties.

However, AEG called on levelling up secretary Michael Gove to block the proposal earlier this year. Gove issued a holding direction to the LLDC, meaning the organisation and London mayor Sadiq Khan are prevented from signing off the plans before Gove rules on whether they need to be “called in” for further scrutiny.

If given final approval, the Sphere will be located in Stratford, east London, four miles from AEG’s The O2 (20,000-cap) in North Greenwich. AEG is a longtime critic of the scheme, having voiced concerns over its proximity to The O2 and – according to a 2019 investigation by The Times – creating a residents’ group in opposition.

“Since we have the experience of building the first one, it won’t be as expensive as the first one”

MSG has suggested that London has an “undersupply” of dedicated large entertainment venues compared with cities such as Berlin, Paris, Madrid and New York. The capital’s next biggest indoor spaces are the 12,500-cap OVO Arena Wembley and the 10,400-cap Alexandra Palace.

The construction costs of the “next generation” Vegas project escalated to $2.3 billion (€2.1bn) – leading some observers to query whether subsequent venues would be too expensive to build (the estimate for the London development was widely reported as £800m, pre-pandemic).

“We have a fully developed construction design and construction company that has a lot of experience building all over the world,” he says. “And since we have the experience of building the first one, it won’t be as expensive as the first one.”

Dolan expects the Vegas Sphere to be profitable despite costs running almost double its original $1.2bn budget.

“Yes, I absolutely expect it to be profitable,” he says. “Will it generate enough profits to justify the capital that was put into it? I think so, but it remains to be seen. I mean, so far, the biggest hurdles in that is making sure that you have a product that the consumer is going to want. And what I’ve seen of our product, I think we have that.

“And then it comes down to marketing and selling tickets and generating revenue and sponsorships, and that all looks like it’s on a very good trajectory. We’re already seeing worldwide interest from other countries that are talking to us about building [Spheres] for them.”

The London project was back in the headlines this week, with the Evening Standard reporting that developers had offered locals blackout blinds to make up for the glowing images they would be broadcasting via the structure’s external LED panels. Officials gave the green light to its digital advertising display plans in January 2023.

 


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U2’s Las Vegas Sphere premiere wows critics

U2 have won widespread critical acclaim after ushering in “a new era in live entertainment” with the premiere of their U2:UV Achtung Baby Live At Sphere residency.

The Irish legends launched the 25-show run on Friday (29 September) to open Sphere Entertainment’s $2.3 billion Sphere at The Venetian in Las Vegas, US.

Based around U2’s classic 1991 album Achtung Baby, the residency at the cutting-edge 17,500-seat/20,000-cap venue marks the band’s first live concerts since 2019. Dutch musician Bram van den Berg has stepped in as a temporary replacement for drummer Larry Mullen Jr, who will miss the gigs as he takes time out due to surgery.

The fully-immersive show, which sees the group reunite with longtime creative collaborator and show director Willie Williams, utilises every part of Sphere’s LED screen – showcasing bespoke art from renowned artists including Es Devlin, John Gerrard, Marco Brambilla and Industrial Light & Magic, while performing on a Brian Eno-inspired turntable stage.

Variety‘s Chris Willman lauded the performance as “the greatest-show-on-earth”, concluding that it “marks the apotheosis of a bigger-is-better ethos that has regularly occurred throughout the band’s career”.

“What U2 are doing in the Sphere is going to have an impact on the whole of live entertainment”

“Not to take any credit away from U2, but the most impressive moment of the Sphere show may be when you first walk in the room,” added Willman. “And that happens on two levels, literally. Above you, that massive domed ceiling has been made to look like you are in some industrial grain silo that has been constructed sky-high.

“It’s an immediate indication of some of the offbeat photorealism you will be in for. But at the same time, if you’re on one of the lower levels of the multi-tiered auditorium, looking out over the general-admission SRO floor, and block out what’s hovering over you (which is surprisingly easy to do), you suddenly feel like you’re in the world’s coolest nightclub.”

The Telegraph‘s Neil McCormick rated the show 5/5, adding: “In the wrong hands, this technology could be quite nauseating. But U2 are past masters when it comes to the emotional dynamics of a show… The focus (for the most part) remained very much on the band on a surprisingly spartan stage, with nothing between them and the audience. They may have been high-definition on the vast screen, but they were also right there in the flesh.

“They say what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. Not this time, I think. What U2 are doing in the Sphere is going to have an impact on the whole of live entertainment.”

“It works so well that, like Abba’s Voyage show, you leave feeling confident this is an idea others are going to copy”

In another five-star review, the Guardian‘s Alexis Petridis concluded: “This cocktail of eye-popping visuals and slightly unruly performances absolutely works, allaying any concerns that a band from the post-punk era and the old showbiz connotations of a residency in Las Vegas constitute a slightly uncomfortable fit, regardless of how many millions of records the band has sold, or how mainstream an audience they’ve attracted in the interim. Indeed, it works so well that, like Abba’s Voyage show, you leave feeling confident this is an idea others are going to copy.”

NME also awarded the gig full marks, with Damian Jones writing: “Despite the early onslaught of breathtaking visuals, surprisingly the band almost abandon them for a good middle section of the show.

“Edge previously pointed out that U2 are taking the live concert experience ‘to the next level’ and this opening night does a fine balancing act of doing just that while also ensuring their music remains very much at the forefront.”

The New York Times‘ Jon Caramanica was rather less complimentary, writing: “Impressively detailed and lightly shocking, Sphere registers in intensity if not scale — at 366 feet, it is not even one of the 40 tallest buildings in Las Vegas. But on some level, its power is grounded simply in the novelty of the shape, even in a town that already has a pyramid and a palace and a castle.

“But inside it is, simply, a concert venue, albeit one with distinct advantages and challenges. In dry stretches, when the space between the band and the huge screen and the crowd was palpable, the result paralleled the airy emptiness of a corporate convention gig. In a stadium show, you can almost obscure a low-enthusiasm performance — here there was nowhere to hide.

“That’s because, despite the visual ambition the space demands, little of that burden falls on the band itself, which is largely confined to the size of stage one might find in any regional theatre across the country. It is a strangely vulnerable and inelegant setup for what is essentially a sinecure gig for a still-craved band.”

“I’ll tell you who is one hard worker: James Dolan… Thank you for this wondrous place”

Ticket prices started at $140 for the residency, which runs until 16 December, with 60% of tickets priced under $300 and more than one million ticket requests received. Celebrities in attendance on the opening night included Paul McCartney, Dr Dre, Snoop Dogg, Katy Perry, Jimmy Iovine, Lars Ulrich, Oprah, Matt Damon and Orlando Bloom.

The Sphere boasts the first 16K screen that wraps up, around, and behind the audience, plus Sphere Immersive Sound and 4D technologies. The 580,000 sq ft fully programmable LED screen comprises approximately 1.2 million LED pucks, each containing 48 individual LED diodes that can display 256 million different colours. Further live music headliners are yet to be announced.

The Sphere is the brainchild of Madison Square Garden Entertainment boss James Dolan, whom Rolling Stone reports earned a special shout out from Bono at the show, alongside Irving and Jeffrey Azoff, Arthur Fogel, Michael Rapino, and U2’s former managers Paul McGuinness and Guy Oseary,

“I’ll tell you who is one hard worker: James Dolan,” said the frontman. “Thank you for the Sphere. You’re one mad bastard. Thank you for this wondrous place.”

 


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First look inside MSG Sphere Las Vegas

A first look at the inside of the new $2.3 billion MSG Sphere venue in Las Vegas has been shared.

The venue is set to open on 29 September with U2’s residency, U2:UV Achtung Baby Live At The Sphere, which elicited a million ticket request registrations for its on-sale.

Also opening at the Sphere on 6 October is a new nature film from director Darren Aronofsky titled Postcard From Earth.

The director shared the first look at the interior of the venue and its Exosphere, the largest LED screen on earth.

The 580,000 sq ft fully programmable LED screen comprises approximately 1.2 million LED pucks, each containing 48 individual LED diodes that can display 256 million different colours.

“My iPhone can’t come close to capturing the definition on the screen,” said Aronofsky. “At times you forget where you are and you’re transported to the other side of our home.”

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Darren Aronofsky (@darrenaronofsky)

 

Earlier this summer, the exterior of the new venue was lit up for the first time to celebrate the Fourth of July in the US.

Earlier this year, U2 gave Apple Music’s Zane Lowe a sneak preview tour of the Sphere and a glimpse into their ideas as they began to create the production.

The band’s Bono and The Edge shared several key details about the Sphere, noting that it was built specifically for live performances and the arts, rather than a typical arena that’s built for sports. The venue boasts Sphere Immersive Sound and 4D technologies.

“There are no speakers. The entire building is a speaker. So wherever you are, you have perfect sound is the plan,” said Bono.

“There’s nothing else like it in the world and won’t be for many, many years,” added The Edge.

U2’s special run of concerts – based around the group’s classic 1991 album Achtung Baby, marks their first live outing in four years, following The Joshua Tree 30th anniversary stadium tour, which was seen by 3.28 million fans worldwide from 2017-19, and grossed US$390.8 million.

Another Sphere has been proposed for east London but has hit significant delays.

 


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MSG Sphere Vegas reveals ‘world’s biggest LED screen’

The MSG Sphere in Las Vegas revealed one of its flashiest features earlier this week – an 580,000 sq ft fully programmable LED screen, touted as the largest on earth.

As part of a special show to celebrate the Fouth of July, the ‘Exosphere’ lit up with a captivating display of dynamic, animated content for the first time ever.

With thousands of spectators watching from the Las Strip, the show started with a welcome message, “Hello world”, followed by fireworks and stars and stripes animations, a moon in a night sky and an imposing Halloween pumpkin.

“Sphere’s Exosphere is a 360-degree canvas for brand storytelling that will be seen around the world, offering our partners an unparalleled opportunity to become part of the greatest show on Earth,” says David Hopkinson, president and COO of MSG Sports, who oversees global marketing and brand partnerships across Sphere Ent.and the MSG companies, in a statement.

The Exosphere comprises approximately 1.2 million LED pucks, each containing 48 individual LED diodes that can display 256 million different colours that will transform the Vegas skyline.

The Sphere is located behind the Strip’s well-known Venetian Resort with a pedestrian bridge connecting the two sites.

“Sphere’s Exosphere is a 360-degree canvas for brand storytelling that will be seen around the world”

“There’s nothing comparable to the impact from displaying innovative brand and immersive content on the world’s largest video screen,” Hopkinson continued. “The extraordinary experiences we can create are only limited by imagination, and we’re thrilled to finally share with the world the spectacular potential of the Exosphere.”

The venue is set to open on 29 September with U2’s residency, U2:UV Achtung Baby Live At The Sphere, which elicited a million ticket request registrations for its on-sale.

This special run of concerts – based around the group’s classic 1991 album Achtung Baby, marks their first live outing in four years, following The Joshua Tree 30th anniversary stadium tour, which was seen by 3.28 million fans worldwide from 2017-19, and grossed US$390.8 million.

MSG Sphere will introduce the first 16K screen that wraps up, around, and behind the audience, and also boasts Sphere Immersive Sound and 4D technologies.

In May, Sphere increased the estimated construction cost of the venue, inclusive of technology and soft costs, to $2.3 billion.

A similar project has been proposed for east London but has hit significant delays.

 


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Vegas Sphere costs rise, U2 extend residency

U2 have revealed an additional eight dates for their U2:UV Achtung Baby Live At Sphere residency, bringing the total number of shows to 25.

More than one million ticket requests have been received for the run, which will launch Madison Square Garden (MSG) Entertainment’s 17,500-seat/20,000-cap Sphere at The Venetian in Las Vegas venue in September.

Sphere Entertainment and Live Nation initially announced five nights from 29-30 September and 5, 7-8 October, before confirming an additional 12 (11, 13-14, 18, 20-21, 25, 27-28 October and 1, 3-4 November). The latest concerts have been announced for 1-2, 6, 8-9, 13 and 15-16 December.

Based around U2’s classic 1991 album Achtung Baby, the series will be the band’s first live shows since The Joshua Tree 30th anniversary stadium tour of 2017-19.

Tickets start at US$140 (€127) and will reflect all-in pricing. Promoters say the larger capacity allows for 60% of tickets to be priced under $300, while there will also be a limited number of premium priced tickets per show.

Meanwhile, the construction costs of the “next generation” Sphere project, which is on track to open this September, have escalated by a further US$125 million to $2.3 billion (€2.1bn).

“As construction nears completion of Sphere in Las Vegas, the company has adjusted its construction cost estimate”

“The company continues to make significant progress in its final phases of construction of Sphere in Las Vegas,” Sphere Entertainment revealed in its fiscal Q3 2023 results this week. “This includes completing LED installation on the Exosphere earlier in the third quarter, and the interior LED display plane this month, while continuing to build out the venue’s interior spaces, including the suites and hospitality areas.

“As construction nears completion of Sphere in Las Vegas, the company has adjusted its construction cost estimate, inclusive of core technology and soft costs, to approximately $2.3 billion, from its prior estimate of $2.175 billion, with the increase primarily reflecting the overall complexity of the project. Actual construction costs paid through May 9, 2023 were approximately $2.08 billion, which was net of $65 million received from The Venetian Resort.”

The firm reported an operating loss of $70.3m, down from $71.1m a year earlier, on revenues of $363.3m (up 3% YOY) .

“With the completion of the spin-off of our traditional live entertainment business and the sale of our interest in Tao Group Hospitality, our company has enhanced flexibility to execute its business strategy,” says executive chairman and CEO James L. Dolan. “As we approach the opening of Sphere in Las Vegas, we remain confident that this next chapter for our company will drive long-term shareholder value.”

 


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MSG Entertainment announces ‘Sphere Experiences’

Madison Square Garden Entertainment has announced “Sphere Experiences” as part of its opening programming at MSG Sphere at The Venetian in Las Vegas.

One of the core content categories to be featured at the 20,000-cap venue, the experiences concept will launch this October with a “first-of-its-kind” immersive production Postcard from Earth.

The result of collaborations between Sphere Studios – Sphere’s in-house creative and production studio – and acclaimed storytellers and creatives, Sphere Experiences are original immersive productions designed exclusively for the facility. Each Sphere Experience will be approximately 60 minutes in length, and productions are slated to run multiple times per day, year-round.

“We are redefining the future of entertainment through Sphere,” says James L. Dolan, executive chairman and CEO, MSG Entertainment. “Sphere provides a new medium for directors, artists, and brands to create experiences that cannot be seen or told anywhere else, and Sphere Experiences are just one of the ways we will use the venue’s technologies to engage the senses and transport audiences to places both real and imagined.

Postcard from Earth will set a new bar for multi-sensory storytelling possibilities”

Postcard from Earth will set a new bar for multi-sensory storytelling possibilities, and we look forward to having audiences experience it at Sphere this fall.”

According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the Postcard from Earth project will be directed by filmmaker Darren Aronofsky, with production currently underway. As the first Sphere Experience, it will “utilise the full breadth of Sphere’s technological capabilities to create a multi-sensory storytelling journey”.

MSG Sphere will introduce the first 16K screen that wraps up, around, and behind the audience, and also boasts Sphere Immersive Sound and 4D technologies. U2 will launch the venue this autumn with the U2:UV Achtung Baby Live At The Sphere residency.

Earlier this year, MSG promoted long-serving executive Josephine Vaccarello to EVP, live. Vaccarello will lead the company’s live entertainment bookings across all of its venues, including MSG Sphere Las Vegas

 


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