{
  "id": 19352115,
  "title": "Messina Touring Group at 25: How The Promotion Company Behind Taylor Swift & Ed Sheeran Was ‘Built on Trust and Vision’",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/10/messina-touring-group-at-25-how-the-promotion-company-behind-taylor",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-11-10T15:05:40.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Billboard",
    "slug": "billboard",
    "url": "https://www.billboard.com/pro/messina-touring-group-founder-louis-messina-25-years/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Messina Touring Group, the promotion company behind Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran, is celebrating its 25th anniversary. The company's story began in 1975 when Louis Messina co-founded PACE Concerts in Houston with Allen Becker. Initially, they were known for creating rock 'n' roll events, including OzzFest alongside Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne. However, the 1990s saw a wave of independent promoter buyouts that changed the touring business landscape. SFX Entertainment, led by Robert F.X. Sillerman, acquired PACE in this wave. When Sillerman sold SFX to Clear Channel Communications, Messina chose to leave that corporate environment and formed MTG with a noncompete agreement. Initially, MTG had just five artists under its roster: George Strait, Kenny Chesney, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, and The Chicks. After his noncompete period, Messina partnered with AEG Presents, allowing MTG to grow into a prominent player in live music promotion.\n\nOne of MTG's most significant achievements in recent years is Taylor Swift's The Eras Tour, which toured for two years (2023-24) across five continents. Messina had met Swift when she was still a teenager, and their connection was fostered through their shared association with George Strait. Other notable artists who have graced MTG's stages include Ed Sheeran, Shawn Mendes, and MTG's latest signing, Phoebe Bridgers. According to Messina, his company's foundation is built on \"six degrees of George Strait,\" as Strait also connected him with Chesney and Eric Church. MTG's diverse roster showcases their commitment to fostering relationships across the music industry.",
  "summary": "Louis Messina says that “every artist we work for, we believe in.”",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}