Coming Together as a Single Voice
Michael T. Strickland, Chair and Founder of Bandit Lites, Inc. has spent much of his time over the last 2.5 years working on behalf of the entire live entertainment industry by lobbying Congress for support and aid during, and now recovering from, the global pandemic shutdown. He has met with over 80 Senators, Representatives, and staff members during his efforts and one thing became clear to him, the live entertainment industry must speak to Congress with a single voice. As he notes, “We are an industry of a thousand canoes that need to come to Congress as a single battleship.”
The Entertainment Association is an idea Strickland’s been formulating through a wealth of conversations he has had both within and outside of the industry. With this conversation now engaging the wider industry Strickland explains how the idea began and the next steps to realizing The Entertainment Association.
Each time I met with any legislators they informed me we need a single voice. They all heard, individually, from: promoters, managers, venues, rodeos, fairs, Broadway, wedding planners, TV, film, festivals, and so on. Each entity promoted its own cause, but not a unified cause. They all said, “take care of me” as opposed to “take care of us.” Restaurants did not have waiters, cooks, owners, cleaners, suppliers and so on working just for their segment. The National Restaurant Association spoke for the entire industry. As did other industries. Legislators want to hear a single voice.
I will spend the next year engaging people on this concept. I plan to speak at the Touring Career Workshop (TCW), then at LDI, then at the Live at Lititz event in December. I am working on other dates in 2023 as well. I also speak daily both live and via Zoom to small groups, all to spread the message. I hope to educate people and promote the concept of an overarching entity to represent everyone that depends on a live crowd. While Broadway, pro sports, rodeos, live shows, SAG, DGA, movies, TV, wedding and event planners, and everyone else are very different, we all need people to assemble to earn a living. Any future shutdown will again devastate us all.
To me, the sole mission should be to assure every one of us is provided for the next time we are shut down. It was only live entertainment and cruise ships that sat dormant for 16 months. No other industry was shut down 100% for 16 months. When Entertainment comes together, as a single coalition, Congress will listen to us.
To download a PDF that outlines the idea and potential for The Entertainment Association, CLICK HERE
