Kennedy Center Plans Ticketmaster Switch as Honors Tickets Stall
The Kennedy Center plans to move its ticketing from a not-for-profit platform to Ticketmaster, and tickets for the Dec. 7 Honors are not yet on sale. Former president Richard Grenell sat on the board of Ticketmaster's parent company while the deal was negotiated.
The Kennedy Center plans to move its ticketing to Ticketmaster, and as of Nov. 11 the public could not yet buy tickets to the Kennedy Center Honors, which are set for Dec. 7 at Washington's Capital One Arena.
The center's site offers only a submission form for people who want information on how to buy. The Kennedy Center did not answer questions about how or when tickets will be made available.
Why tickets are late
Current and former staffers say the delay stems from the switch. They spoke on condition of anonymity, citing fear of repercussions and their ability to keep working in arts administration.
For decades the center has used Tessitura, a not-for-profit platform, to handle ticketing. It now plans to partner with Ticketmaster instead.
This year's Honors will celebrate songwriter Paul Anka, music producer David Foster, actor Andy Garcia, playwright David Mamet and country singer Barbara Mandrell. The annual December gala has been a fixture of Washington's social calendar since 1978. Tickets were a hot item, and high-level donors usually got first pick in early summer.
Grenell's dual roles
Richard Grenell became president of the Kennedy Center in February 2025, when President Donald Trump became the institution's chairman. In May, Grenell joined the board of Live Nation, Ticketmaster's parent company. Negotiations over the new ticketing relationship took place while he held both positions.
Live Nation's most recent filings with the SEC show it paid Grenell $260,205 for his board work in 2025. He also received 102 shares of Live Nation stock, worth about $14,200 at the time, when he joined the board.
The Kennedy Center's latest tax filings say Grenell was paid nothing as its president. The center declined to comment on his concurrent positions or his financial interests in Live Nation and Ticketmaster. Attempts to reach Grenell went unanswered.
Ethics concerns
Richard Briffault, a Columbia Law School professor who specializes in government ethics, said holding both roles would typically raise conflict-of-interest concerns. Grenell had fiduciary duties to both organizations.
"This is literally conflict of interest," Briffault said. He described the problem as having a duty of loyalty to an entity while holding a financial stake in another that does business with it.
Kennedy Center spokesperson PJ Elliott said talks about moving ticketing to Ticketmaster have been ongoing since 2024, during the Biden administration. Those talks predate Grenell's appointment.
The switch comes amid broader turmoil at the center. A high-profile federal lawsuit is under way over Trump's wish to add his name to the institution.
