Since its inception in 2002, Bonnaroo has been in the hands of lead production company Superfly Entertainment, in one way or another.
In recent years, however, Superfly’s influence has waned; Live Nation bought a controlling ownership stake of the festival in 2015, and as per a new report, starting in 2020, Superfly will no longer be involved at all.
According to Billboard, Live Nation “has told minority owners in Bonnaroo that it plans to exercise a buyout clause in the agreement to purchase the rest of the festival… The transaction will take place before next year’s festival and effectively ends Superfly’s role as festival producer.”
Going forward, Superfly remains the owners and operators of other ventures like California’s Clusterfest and Outside Lands festivals.
Live Nation – on the other hand – adds Bonnaroo to its ever-growing portfolio of live events, including Austin City Limits Music Festival, Lollapalooza, Electric Daisy Carnival and more.
This year’s sold-out Bonnaroo was held from June 13-16, 2019. It featured headlining sets by Phish, Childish Gambino, Post Malone, Odesza and The Lumineers.
Watch Superfly co-founders Kerry Black, Rick Farman, Rich Goodstone and Jonathan Mayers discuss their origins and work style at the 2018 Relix Live Music Conference below:
16 Comments comments associated with this post
Tammi
June 27, 2019 at 11:18 amThe first band to play the first Bonnaroo was… THE BIG WU.
Pretty much sucked after the 3rd year.
Roo OG
June 27, 2019 at 2:29 pmWell said Tammi! I rode the “high” of roo 2002 for months after the fest! ‘03 was pretty darn good too, but it definitely went way downhill in ‘04, so much so that I never went back. 2002 was one of the best weeks of my life tho!
Kndd
June 26, 2019 at 9:31 pmOh, Kanye…troll much?
Kanye
June 26, 2019 at 3:38 pmLive Nation was the best thing that ever happened to bonnaroo…they ran all the free loading, dirty hippies out…stopped the bootleg food and merch…and finally started to showcase some real musicians, not those long winded, 20 minute song playing circus acts…
Joel Kinderman
June 26, 2019 at 12:44 pmSad
Trying to maximize revenue VIP BS and all the add-ons “For the fan experience”
I guess as you get older you miss the good all days
When most of the focus was on the music the fans, the family
Doug
June 26, 2019 at 12:17 pmBonnaroo is too damn far from the Northeast anyway. SuperFly should buy 1,500 acres somewhere in PA, NJ (doubt it) or NY and start a new festival like the old Bonnaroo, then run add-ons like the country festival and maybe a classic rock festival. Hell, rent it to bands for long weekends like the old Phish festivals.
rizzo
June 26, 2019 at 12:59 pmYep, this exactly. Put it down by Reading PA where there’s already a huge performer dry run facility and you’ve got something.
Stephen lavin
June 26, 2019 at 10:33 amThey ruined the Wanee festival. Long live floydfest and lockn.
clyde Urquhart
June 26, 2019 at 8:03 amThey cancelled Wanee because it coincided with Sweetwater 420 in Atlanta. Greed runs Live Nation, niot music!
yep
June 26, 2019 at 11:10 amClyde, you seem so sure. Do you have inside information? It was in fact because of Easter weekend coincidation, family time versus music festival. 420 line-up turned weak this year and there was no Wanee…choosing between a non-camping festival in Atlanta of all places, or a “camp-as-long-as-you-like” festival in the heart of nature….seems like a no-brainer. Atlanta can keep the big acts, i’ll chill in my hammock cooking my own food, listening to who ever happens to play. Bring back Wanee! or call it something else, doesn’t matter. like some others stated…community, freedom and natural surroundings are what matter
Cheetahtard
June 25, 2019 at 11:38 pmI remember Bonnaroo when it was made of fans who were allowed to participate in the festival as a city and community of artists… bringing their art, baked goods, cooking food for each other (many times for free), selling cheap drinks, hats, flags, posters, t-shirts, toys… You name it, and it could be found in that festival city of Roo. The crowded streets, people playing music, having dance parties and (re)connecting. No turnstiles or metal detectors and even bag chairs were allowed in the venue! Less regulated by corporate sponsorships and contractual controls. It was a community that the production fostered, made room for and allowed the fans to find their city to live in.
Big ups to original Roo of Superfly!
slsl
June 25, 2019 at 8:02 pmI know…I love monopolies
Dan V
June 25, 2019 at 6:57 pmVery cool
Shawn
June 25, 2019 at 9:55 pmThey ruined Wanee…so Congrats to ruining another great festival.
Tony Forte
June 26, 2019 at 5:07 amSo true so TRUE!! Bring back Wanee 2020
clyde Urquhart
June 26, 2019 at 8:04 amThey cancelled Wanee because it coincided with Sweetwater 420 in Atlanta. Greed runs Live Nation, niot music!