1. FACEBOOK AND TWITTER HAVE SIMILAR LIVE EVENT STREAMING STRATEGIES: While Facebook is striving to be a destination for watching live streamed events, its current strategy seems similar to Twitter’s—live streaming sporting events that aren’t particularly popular. Recode: “Facebook’s deals so far include a streaming deal with Major League Soccer and another with the World Surf League. The NBA’s minor league system streams games on Facebook, and over the summer, Facebook streamed pre-Olympics basketball games from the men’s and women’s national teams. The network also added a random regular-season NBA game this January, but it was only available in India. Facebook’s interest in sports isn’t a secret. In a statement from Facebook’s head of sports partnerships, Dan Reed, the company lays it out pretty clearly. ‘Sports are inherently social, with the power to build and connect communities around the world,’ the statement reads. ‘This aligns closely with our mission, and we feel Facebook is a natural home for sports content, including live games.’ None of what Facebook has collected, though, is must-see TV, and most of it isn’t even close. It turns out finding video is easy, but finding good video—more specifically, must-see good video—is hard. There’s one major reasons Facebook’s video lineup doesn’t look too appealing: Most must-see television isn’t available. The NFL, for example, has already sold its broadcast rights through the 2022 season. The NBA is locked up through 2024-2025. Most of the other must-see stuff is too valuable to share with someone like Facebook, or put behind a paywall with a limited audience like Netflix or Amazon Prime. That means Facebook and Twitter are stuck with the leftovers.” http://bit.ly/2lXSd9H
2. CUSTOMS OFFICIALS RELEASE TRAVEL CLARIFICATIONS AFTER MORE SXSW ARTISTS DENIED U.S. ENTRY: U.S. customs has announced travel clarifications after at least seven artists slated to perform at South by Southwest were denied entry into the country. Billboard: "At issue is whether artists can perform at free showcase events like South by Southwest on a B-1 visitor visa, typically issued to tourists who aren’t legally allowed to work during their visit to the U.S. Most artists who enter the country for a tour do so on a performance visa (also known as P-1), but artists performing for free at showcase events like South by Southwest have used B-1 visitor visas in the past to enter the U.S. On Monday, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials issued a statement to Billboard explaining that 'if an individual is a member of an internationally recognized entertainment group, they must apply for and be granted a P-1 visa.' The CBP didn't direct the comment towards a specific group or event. ... South by Southwest officials warn on their website that travel into the United States from countries like Canada and the U.K. on a B-1 is often granted, but not guaranteed. Event organizers encourage artists to apply for a performance visa, even if they're not getting paid for their appearance. Despite the warning, South by Southwest officials did issue Amr and the other band members a letter to present to U.S. Customs officials advising that a B-1 is 'appropriate when bands will be engaged only in showcasing at SXSW' because 'it is not labor for hire; rather, it involves unpaid demonstrations of skills that include composition, practice and performances.' http://bit.ly/2mWXI89
3. ACADEMY PRESIDENT DISCUSSES SHOCKING OSCAR MIX-UP: Academy president Cheryl Boone Isaacs recently the Best Picture flub at this year’s Oscars in her first public appearance since the snafu South by Southwest. The Hollywood Reporter: “The best picture mix-up at the end of the Oscars was a shock for Academy president Cheryl Boone Isaacs, but also showcased the ‘humanity’ of Hollywood, she told audience members at SXSW on Monday. At her first public appearance since the Oscar snafu, Boone Isaacs joked about the now infamous photo of her in the audience looking surprised as the final moments of the Oscars unfolded on stage. She called the moment ‘a beautiful ending,’ one that showed ‘a respect and graciousness from the La La Land filmmakers and the Moonlight filmmakers in a way that I thought was very special.’ Boone Isaacs spoke on stage with Hidden Figures writer Allison Schroeder in a conversation that touched on the beginning of their careers, diversity in Hollywood and how they still get giddy around the industry's biggest stars. In the wake of the best picture mix-up, Boone Isaacs sent a note to Academy members promising that ‘changes will be implemented to ensure this never happens again.’ PwC has largely taken the blame for the incident after one of its accountants handed presenter Warren Beatty the wrong envelope. In the days that followed Oscar night, Boone Isaacs said that the two accountants responsible for the mishap will not work the Oscars again.” http://bit.ly/2nkPwPS
* LOCAL NEWS *
CHICAGO: The 11th annual Do Division Street Fest & Sidewalk Sale will take place June 2-4. The event will feature live music programmed by music venues Subterranean and Empty Bottle Presents.
LOS ANGELES: Carrie With and Michelle MacRae have joined experiential firm MC2, which has offices in Carson and El Segundo.
Social Media Week Los Angeles will take place June 12-16.
For information on upcoming events in Los Angeles, visit Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/losangeles
MIAMI/SOUTH FLORIDA: The spa at the Ritz-Carlton, South Beach, has reopened with a new design that includes 14 treatment rooms, relaxation pods, a new fitness facility and an outdoor menu at the spa cabanas.
NASHVILLE: M Street Entertainment Group’s second annual Chef Week will take place April 24-30 at the company’s six restaurants. The event showcases original, interactive artistic experiences that involve artists from the M Street Artist Alliance partnering with executive chefs from Tavern, Whiskey Kitchen, Saint Añejo, Moto, Kayne Prime, and Virago.
NEW YORK: The eighth annual Brooklyn Folk Festival is slated for April 8-10 at St. Ann’s Church.
Original Penguin will host a preview of its Fall 2017 “Paint by Numbers” collection at the Vynl in East Village today.
For information on upcoming events in New York, visit Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/newyork
ORLANDO/CENTRAL FLORIDA: The APC National Pie Championship is May 5-6 at the Rosen Centre hotel. The event will include judging of pies submitted by hundreds of professional, commercial, and amateur bakers as well as educational sessions, an apron contest, and more.
SAN FRANCISCO: The 77th annual Phono del Sol Music & Food Festival will take place June 17 at Sol Park.
TORONTO: The 11th annual Green Living Show will take place April 7-9 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. The event showcases eco-friendly products, local food and wine, green cars, and more.
WASHINGTON, D.C.: Entertainment Cruises, Washington, DC will celebrate its newest yacht, the Spirit of Washington, with a christening ceremony led by Mayor Muriel Bowser on March 28 at the Gangplank Marina.
YOUR NEWS: What are you doing? Tell us: [email protected].
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With contributions from Alesandra Dubin and Claire Hoffman in Los Angeles, Mitra Sorrells in Orlando, and Beth Kormanik, Michele Laufik, Jill Menze, and Ian Zelaya in New York.
BizBash Daily is the must-read digest of event industry news from BizBash.com.
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