Dan Steinberg and Jason Zink, co-founders of Emporium Presents, will leave Live Nation at the end of 2026, ending Emporium’s operations inside the company after eight years with the live giant. CelebrityAccess, IQ Magazine, and Decibel reporting say the pair declined contract renewals, will stay through December 31, then begin a six-month non-compete, and have not announced a next venture.
Steinberg told Decibel, as quoted by CelebrityAccess and IQ: “When they called and asked if we wanted to get into our contract renewal, we let them know that we weren’t seeking a renewal and we’re ready to step out and see what else the world had to offer.” He also told IQ that he and Zink “loved our time at Live Nation” and are “excited to see what comes in this next chapter.” Zink told Decibel that Emporium “will cease to exist at Live Nation at the end when we’re gone.”
How Emporium got inside Live Nation
Steinberg and Zink founded Emporium Presents in 2015 by combining Steinberg’s Square Peg Concerts with Zink’s Sherpa Concerts. Live Nation took a 51% majority stake in October 2018 while the founders kept equity and kept running the shop. At acquisition, Emporium was promoting more than 400 events a year across the United States and Canada, CelebrityAccess reported. Since joining Live Nation, the pair have promoted more than 4,000 concerts with the company, with the group growing about 15% annually, according to that coverage. IQ said Live Nation will take over remaining operations from December 31, with Emporium-listed shows still running into May 2027 on the firm’s website.
Staff, non-compete, and no next company yet
About 25 Emporium staff are affected. Steinberg and Zink are helping those employees find roles inside Live Nation or, in some cases, elsewhere, IQ and CelebrityAccess reported. Zink described the grind of building the company as “completely life-consuming, 24/7,” and said they are in a position to “take a breath and see what else is out there.” Steinberg thanked Live Nation U.S. Concerts president Bob Roux, Mark Campana, and president and CEO Michael Rapino for the partnership.
Departures of regional power brokers matter while Live Nation navigates leadership contracts and Latin America M&A, from Rapino’s deal through 2031 to the Bizarro Chile majority stake, and while Washington keeps pressure on ticketing practices tied to the BOTS Act broker fight. For now, Emporium’s brand sunsets with its founders’ exit, Live Nation absorbs the books, and Steinberg and Zink’s next move waits on the other side of the non-compete.