GARTH BROOKS’ SOLD OUT SPRINT CENTER CONCERT TO BE PRESENTED LIVE ON THE BIG SCREEN NATIONWIDE
National CineMedia’s FATHOM Will Simulcast Live Performance to More than 300 Movie Theatres on Wednesday, November 14 th with Encore Broadcast the Following Night
Tickets on Sale Friday, October 19 th at Noon in Each Local Time Zone
Los Angeles & Centennial, Colo. (October 16, 2007) – For one night in November, fans of Garth Brooks will have the opportunity to see the legendary performer, with special guest Trisha Yearwood, from a venue just minutes from their homes. On Wednesday, November 14 th , Brooks will play his final concert in a sold-out series of nine originating from the brand new Sprint Center in Kansas City, Mo. The concert will be simulcast live to more than 300 movie theatres nationwide in association with National CineMedia’s FATHOM Events. The performance is being presented by Sprint, and captured and distributed by Horse of Troy Productions Inc., Jon Small/Picture Vision and AEG Network LIVE.
“It’s things like this that make me praise technology,” said Garth Brooks. “The gift that AEG and NCM FATHOM participating theatres have given me is to be able to go on a virtual tour without leaving home. How does it get any better than that?”
All tickets will be priced at $10 (plus applicable online service charges) and go on sale Friday, October 19 th at Noon in each local time zone at www.fathomevents.com or via www.garthbrooks.com . There is a limit of 10 tickets per person. An encore presentation of the concert will be rebroadcast in theatres on November 15 th . Tickets for the November 15 th encore event will also go on sale Friday. Participating theatre locations and additional information is available at www.fathomevents.com .
Tickets to the concert at Sprint Center sold out immediately when they went on sale. An additional eight shows were added and a total of 159,779 tickets were sold in one hour and 58 minutes, tying Brooks’ own personal record for selling the highest number of tickets in any city in North America.
“Garth Brooks’ fans have been waiting for this night for a long time and we’re excited to bring this extraordinary event to movie theatres in local communities nationwide,” said Dan Diamond, vice president of National CineMedia’s Fathom. “For many, seeing Garth in the theatres may be their only chance to see this remarkable performer in action.”
“No artist today means more to his millions of fans worldwide than Garth Brooks,” said Timothy J. Leiweke, president and CEO, AEG. “Whether you experience the concert in Sprint Center or in one of the 300 theatres, it will truly be one of the great nights of music ever experienced. Not only am I a fan, but Garth is also a valued friend. I am very appreciative that for this once-in-a-lifetime event, Garth chose Kansas City, Sprint Center and AEG.”
“Sprint Center is proud to welcome Garth Brooks during our historic first month,” said Brenda Tinnen, general manager, Sprint Center. “Not only are we honored that Kansas City and Sprint Center was selected to host this ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ event, knowing that more than 150,000 people across the country will be joining us on November 14 th and 15 th will truly make the evening that much more exciting.”
Brooks, who hasn’t toured since 1998, made country music history in September when his new single, “More Than a Memory,” debuted at Number One on Billboard's Country Singles chart. Garth Brooks “The Ultimate Hits” will be available in all stores where music is sold on November 6 th .
About National CineMedia National CineMedia (NCM) LLC operates the largest digital in-theatre network in North America through long-term agreements with its founding members, AMC Entertainment Inc., Cinemark USA Inc. (NYSE: CNK) and Regal Entertainment Group (NYSE: RGC), the three largest theatre operators in the U.S., and through multi-year agreements with several other theatre operators. NCM LLC produces and distributes its FirstLook pre feature program; cinema and lobby advertising products; comprehensive meeting and event services and other entertainment programming content. NCM LLC's national network includes over 14,000 screens of which over 12,300 are part of the company's Digital Content Network (DCN). NCM LLC's DCN covers 156 Designated Market Areas® (49 of the top 50). During 2006, approximately 550 million patrons attended movies shown in theatres owned by the NCM LLC founding members (excluding Loews). National CineMedia, Inc. (NASDAQ: NCMI) owns a 44.8% interest in and is the managing member of NCM LLC. For additional information, visit www.ncm.com .
About AEG AEG is one of the leading sports and entertainment presenters in the world. AEG, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Anschutz Company, owns or controls a collection of companies including facilities such as STAPLES Center (Los Angeles, CA), NOKIA Theatre Times Square, NOKIA Theatre at Grand Prairie (TX), the El Rey Theatre (Hollywood, CA), the WaMu Theatre (Seattle, WA), Target Center (Minneapolis, MN), Sprint Center (Kansas City, MO), Prudential Center (Newark, NJ) and The O2, a 28-acre development located in the eastern part of London along the Thames River which includes a 20,000 seat arena and over 650,000sf of leisure and entertainment use; sports franchises throughout the world including the Los Angeles Kings (NHL), Los Angeles Riptide (MLL), the Los Angeles Galaxy and Houston Dynamo (MLS) in addition to overseeing privately held management shares of the Los Angeles Lakers (NBA). AEG developed and operates The Home Depot Center, a $150 million national training facility on the Campus of California State University Dominguez Hills in Carson, California designated as an “Official U.S. Olympic Training Site” by the United States Olympic Committee that includes major facilities for soccer, tennis, track & field, cycling, lacrosse, rugby, action sports, beach volleyball, basketball and other sports. AEG’s live entertainment division, AEG LIVE is one of the world’s leading concert promotion and touring companies.
AEG is overseeing the development of L.A. LIVE, a 4 million square foot / $2.5 billion downtown Los Angeles sports, residential & entertainment district featuring NOKIA Theatre L.A. LIVE, a 7,100-seat state- of-the-art live theatre, a 54-story, 1001-room convention center “headquarters” hotel, Club NOKIA a 2,400 capacity live music venue, a 14-screen Regal Cineplex, “broadcast” facilities for ESPN, along with entertainment, restaurant, residential and office space along with additional arenas, O2 World, on a 45-acre site in the heart of Berlin, Citizen’s Business Bank Arena in Ontario, California and in Las Vegas, Nevada.
About AEG Network LIVE-AEG Live AEG Network LIVE is the division of AEG LIVE responsible for creating, marketing and distributing digital programming on broadband, cinema, wireless, television, DVD and other platforms worldwide. AEG Network LIVE has completed successful tour & CD launch campaigns for AEG Live clients including Bon Jovi, Rod Stewart & Prince. Recently AEG Network LIVE worked with Linkin Park and Warner Brothers Records on the release of the Minutes to Midnight CD release with AOL Music and NCM which resulted in record CD and digital download sales. AEG Live is the live-entertainment division of Los Angeles based AEG is dedicated to all aspects of live contemporary music performance, touring for a variety of programming and multi-media production. One of the largest concert promotion and touring companies in the world, AEG Live is comprised of special event, broadcast and exhibition divisions, and operates and owns numerous state of the art venues nationwide. Current AEG Live tours and productions include Celine Dion A New Day… at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace and “Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs,” an international tour of the artifacts of King Tut. Recent and current promoted concert tours include Justin Timberlake, Christina Aguilera, Prince, Bon Jovi, Usher, Nickelback, Kenny Chesney, Rod Stewart, and Paul McCartney. AEG Live also co-produces the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. Goldenvoice, the company’s southern California-based regional promotion division, created and operates the award winning annual Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival. The performances being distributed live by Garth Brooks & AEG Network LIVE for digital cinema and other outlets.
Media Contacts:
Michelle Portillo / Amy Jane Finnerty National CineMedia (303) 792-8651 / (212) 931-8117 [email protected] / [email protected]
Hannah Kampf or Eve Samuels Scoop Marketing for National CineMedia (213) 639-6159 / (213) 639-6166 [email protected] / [email protected]
Michelle Mikoljak Fleishman-Hillard for AEG: 213-489-8213 [email protected]
Nancy Seltzer Nancy Seltzer and Assoc. for Garth Brooks 323-938-3562 [email protected]