MSNBC Plans Second ‘MSNBC Live’ Event
“MSNBC Live” will return for a second year with more of the network’s anchors in attendance and fewer dollars to pay for a base ticket.
The cable-news outlet, soon to be spun off into a new publicly-traded entity, Versant, along with the bulk of NBCUniversal cable networks, intends to hold “MSNBC Live ’25: This Is Who We Are” on Saturday, October 11 at the Hammerstein Ballroom in Manhattan. The event will be divided into two sessions, a lunch and seated dinner that will feature MSNBC hosts and guests, including a few, like Nicolle Wallace, Mika Brzezinski, Joe Scarborough and Jacob Soboroff, who did not take part last year.
Like other forms of traditional media, MSNBC faces a a need “to go meet our audiences where they are,” says Lauren Peikoff, executive producer of events for MSNBC, during a recent interview. “We know people are so far beyond the linear sphere in every form, from TikTok to social to digital.” Building up a revenue stream from live events makes great sense, she adds.
MSNBC’s conference emulates “BravoCon,” a weekend confab that started in 2019 and features panels with that network’s reality stars and opportunities to buy related merchandise. The extravaganza became so noteworthy that NBCU began to tout it during its presentations to advertisers in the industry’s annual “upfront” selling season.
Others have experimented with similar concepts. CNN mounted a series of live “Citizen” events in recent years that convened newsmakers and CNN anchors to discuss major issues of the day. Among those who took part were Jimmy Kimmel, Dr. Anthony Fauci and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. Fox News Channel has organized its “Patriot Awards” for the past few years; the event has even included a meet-and-greet and a whiskey tasing.
Participants for MSNBC’s 2025 event will include Rachel Maddow, Lawrence O’Donnell, Jen Psaki, Ari Melber, Stephanie Ruhle, Chris Hayes, Alicia Menendez, Symone Sanders Townsend, Michael Steele and Katy Tur. Tickets will be on sale at msnbc.com/mslive25 beginning Monday, July 28. Ticket prices begin at $100, compared to $119 in 2024.
Others have experimented with similar concepts. CNN mounted a series of live “Citizen” events in recent years that convened newsmakers and CNN anchors to discuss major issues of the day. Among those who took part were Jimmy Kimmel, Dr. Anthony Fauci and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. Fox News Channel has organized its “Patriot Awards” for the past few years; the event has even included a meet-and-greet and a whiskey tasting.
At last year’s event, says Peikoff, executives and anchors learned that the audience “yearns for connections with their fellow viewers” as well as MSNBC hosts and journalists, which could take the form of selfies with anchors or the ability to ask direct questions of reporters. In one case, she says, attendees were eager to grab signature lighters from Ari Melber. “We are planning to have much more of those engagement opportunities.”
