Wu-Tang Clan at Terminal 5
photo by Kenneth Bachor

Ticketmaster developing vaccine verification system for concerts' return

With promising early data from Pfizer on their coronavirus vaccine trial, the live music industry is looking forward towards how the existence of a COVID vaccine would allow events to be held again. One consideration is verifying the vaccination status of attendees before allowing them entrance to shows, or else making sure they’ve recently tested negative for the virus. Billboard reports that Ticketmaster is working on a smartphone-based system that would allow ticketholders to send proof of having received a vaccine, or having tested negative during a 24-48 hour period, without which they would be denied entrance to events. It’s still in development, but Billboard reports that it “will rely on three separate components — the Ticketmaster digital ticket app, third party health information companies like CLEAR Health Pass or IBM’s Digital Health Pass and testing and vaccine distribution providers like Labcorp and the CVS Minute Clinic.”

More from Billboard:

Here’s how it would work, if approved: After purchasing a ticket for a concert, fans would need to verify that they have already been vaccinated (which would provide approximately one year of COVID-19 protection) or test negative for coronavirus approximately 24 to 72 hours prior to the concert. The length of coverage a test would provide would be governed by regional health authorities — if attendees of a Friday night concert had to be tested 48 hours in advance, most could start the testing process the day before the event. If it was a 24-hour window, most people would likely be tested the same day of the event at a lab or a health clinic.

Once the test was complete, the fan would instruct the lab to deliver the results to their health pass company, like CLEAR or IBM. If the tests were negative, or the fan was vaccinated, the health pass company would verify the attendee’s COVID-19 status to Ticketmaster, which would then issue the fan the credentials needed to access the event. If a fan tested positive or didn’t take a test to verify their status, they would not be granted access to the event.

Billboard says that the system wouldn’t give Ticketmaster access to ticketholders’ health information, but would just send verification of their eligibility to attend a specific date.

“We’re already seeing many third-party health care providers prepare to handle the vetting — whether that is getting a vaccine, taking a test, or other methods of review and approval – which could then be linked via a digital ticket so everyone entering the event is verified,” Ticketmaster president Mark Yovich told Billboard. “Ticketmaster’s goal is to provide enough flexibility and options that venues and fans have multiple paths to return to events, and is working to create integrations to our API and leading digital ticketing technology as we will look to tap into the top solutions based on what’s green-lit by officials and desired by clients.”

Stay tuned for more information about this and other ways that live events are looking to return amid coronavirus.