The VenuesNow Conference 2026 is set to take place on September 29 and 30 at the Sheraton Grand Seattle, bringing together venue operators, live entertainment executives, sports leaders and other professionals from across the venue business. Presented by Marsh and Oracle, the two-day conference will focus on the evolving business of live events, with discussions around booking, hospitality, technology, operations, revenue generation and fan experience.
The conference will feature senior executives from leading sports, entertainment and venue organisations, including Samantha Holloway of One Roof Sports & Entertainment, Paz Aparicio of Movistar Arena Madrid, Courtney Carter of Seattle Sounders FC & Seattle Reign FC, Chad Gregory of Legends Global and Kosha Irby of All Elite Wrestling.
The event will also provide a platform to discuss how venues can adapt to changing audience expectations and create new revenue opportunities. One session, “Make Your Building A Must-Play,” will examine how venues compete for major tours and what they can do to attract artists, agents and promoters in an increasingly competitive touring market.
Ahead of the conference, the annual VenuesNow All-Stars will be celebrated at a reception on September 28. The list recognises executives transforming the venue business through leadership, innovation and performance across areas including venue operations, programming, development, hospitality and design. The honourees are selected by the Pollstar editorial team with industry input and consideration of box-office data.
This year’s list includes executives from organisations such as Live Nation Entertainment, AEG Presents, Oak View Group, Legends Global, MSG Entertainment, City Winery and Sodexo Live!. The 2026 edition also includes a number of Seattle-based executives, reflecting the conference’s return to the city.
Among the Seattle honourees are Trevor Gooby of the Seattle Mariners, Zach Hensley of Lumen Field & Event Center, Beth Knox of the Seattle Sports Commission, Josh LaBelle of Seattle Theatre Group, Tod Leiweke of the Seattle Kraken and One Roof Sports & Entertainment, and Craig Waibel of the Seattle Sounders.
The September issue of Pollstar is also dedicating a market focus to Seattle’s live entertainment ecosystem, covering venues ranging from The Crocodile and Climate Pledge Arena to Lumen Field. The focus highlights the city’s role across music, sports and live entertainment as the VenuesNow Conference returns to the market.
With venues increasingly becoming central to the live entertainment economy, VenuesNow Conference 2026 will bring together the people shaping how these spaces are booked, operated, monetised and experienced.
