Kennedy Center swaps ticketing system for Ticketmaster amid leadership shakeup
The switch from a nonprofit platform to Ticketmaster coincided with a president who was paid more by Ticketmaster's parent company than by the arts institution he led.
By Rosa Fuentes ·
Grenell was paid $260,205 by Live Nation in 2025, a sum far exceeding his salary at the Kennedy Center, which was zero according to tax filings.
The Kennedy Center plans to abandon Tessitura, a nonprofit ticketing platform it has used since 1978, in favor of Ticketmaster. Current and former staffers say this switch is the reason ticket information for the Dec. 7 Kennedy Center Honors was not available as of Nov. 11. The event will honor Paul Anka, David Foster, Andy Garcia, David Mamet, and Barbara Mandrell at Capital One Arena.
Richard Grenell served as president of the Kennedy Center from February 2025 until his departure in March. During that period, he joined the board of Live Nation, the parent company of Ticketmaster, in May. SEC filings show he received stock worth approximately $14,200 upon joining the board. The center's spokesperson, PJ Elliott, said the center began evaluating Ticketmaster in spring 2024, before Grenell's appointment, and that the deal followed standard procurement review. Two sources with knowledge of the negotiations said Ticketmaster was not seriously considered during that initial phase.
Columbia Law School professor Richard Briffault noted that holding fiduciary duties to both entities typically creates a conflict of interest. The center did not comment on Grenell's financial interests in Live Nation. Matt Floca, the current president, previously worked in facilities and has no background in arts administration. He recently named Rick Canny, a California talent agent, as the new artistic director.
Canny, who had been a consultant since April 2025, claimed in a March email to the center's chief financial officer that he shaped most of the Ticketmaster deal terms. He also cited IATSE union members as an impediment to the new system. The center laid off its unionized box office staff earlier this year while its main building is closed for a two-year renovation. The move to Ticketmaster occurs while the company faces antitrust scrutiny. A federal jury in April found Live Nation and Ticketmaster operated as a monopoly, following a DOJ settlement of $280 million in March.
Steve Jacobson, a consultant for nonprofit arts clients, said Tessitura is an all-in-one system used by more than 750 institutions to manage fundraising and customer data. He described Ticketmaster as one-dimensional and designed for commercial presenters. Replicating the full functionality of Tessitura would be an expensive prospect for a nonprofit that relies on combined earned and donated income.
