Pollstar (12/30/20) Gensler, Andy

The COVID-19 Relief Package, which apportioned about $15 billion for independent live business venues through the Save Our Stages (SOS) Act, is unlikely to contribute a penny of that money to most industry workers at large. Michael Strickland, who owns the Bandit Lites lighting company, said most industry players are ineligible because the bill denies relief to independent contractors and businesses that either are a publicly traded company, have offices in more than one country, have 500 or more employees, received 10% or more of their funding from the federal government, or have branches in more than 10 states. "For many in the live events industry this is a band-aid on a large cut," said Jeanne Moran, spokesperson for the Save Live Events Now coalition. "It helps to cover a portion of the cut, but doesn't stop the bleeding." In particular, medium to small-sized venues that are not independently operated will not receive aid, blocking much-needed relief to their many workers. SOS co-sponsor Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) said the exclusion of many in the industry from SOS is because lawmakers were unable to include provisions in the omnibus relief package. She expects the upcoming Biden administration will correct that oversight. Meanwhile, excluded industry players are hoping the coalition that helped pass SOS, led by the National Independent Venue Association, will continue to campaign for the larger industry.

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