Audacy, Inc., and Hard Rock International (HRI) on Thursday said they have agreed to a “multi-faceted” partnership.
Audacy is a scaled, multi-platform audio content and entertainment company.
HRI has venues in nearly 70 countries, with 249 locations that include owned/licensed or managed hotels, casinos, Rock Shops, live performance venues and Hard Rock Cafes.
As part of the deal, Audacy and HRI said they will partner on live events at a new performance space in New York City, as well as music festivals and Hard Rock Cafe events around the country.
The partnership kicked off last week, as Hard Rock became the exclusive partner for Audacy Beach Festival (ABF) in Fort Lauderdale with multiple activations and streamed content.
Audacy plans to host several events in spring 2022 at Hard Rock Live at HRI’s flagship Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood (pictured). One of these will be the launch of a new concert event, Leading Ladies Live, to celebrate country music's biggest female stars and rising talent in honor of International Women's Day and Women's History Month.
Audacy and HRI also will partner on existing festivals, including Tortuga Music Festival in conjunction with Live Nation.
In addition, Audacy and Hard Rock Cafe will host a series of annual events at Hard Rock Cafe locations worldwide, including hosting multiple private concerts at the Cafe in Nashville, as well as music industry events in both Nashville and New York City.
In spring 2022, Hard Rock Hotels will debut a new flagship property on Music Row, just outside of Times Square, featuring a collaboration between the two brands. Within the hotel will be an integrated Audacy Live state-of-the-art performance studio and entertainment hub.
Audacy said its partnership with Hard Rock International reflects its continuing commitment to live events. Audacy recently held its Audacy Beach Festival in South Florida, featuring performances from Twenty One Pilots, Lil Nas X, Weezer, The Lumineers, Glass Animals and more. Earlier this year, Audacy held star-studded, sold-out events at the iconic Hollywood Bowl and New York City's Pier 17.
“We are thrilled to enter into this partnership with Hard Rock International,” David Field, chairman, president and CEO of Audacy, said in a statement. “The collaboration brings together two organizations that support music, artists and powerful fan experiences. We are excited to dive into the full slate of projects we will bring to life together.”
Jim Allen, chairman, Hard Rock International and CEO of Seminole Gaming, added: “Hard Rock and Audacy are brands synonymous with world class entertainment and music. This collaboration will translate into a powerful entertainment offering for music fans by two brands who know how to do it best."
Audacy engages more than 170m consumers each month via news, sports, podcasts and music.
Hard Rock International is one of the most globally recognized companies. In 2020, HRI launched a joint venture named Hard Rock Digital, which includes an online sportsbook, retail sportsbook and internet gaming platform.
Beginning with a single Eric Clapton guitar, Hard Rock owns the world's largest and most valuable collection of authentic music memorabilia at more than 86,000 pieces, which are displayed at its locations around the globe.
