Messina Touring is entering its 25th year of shaping the live music landscape, marking a journey that officially began on January 31, 2002, not as a corporate ambition, but as a belief in artists, relationships and doing things differently. In the two-plus decades since, what began as a trio of promoters betting on themselves has evolved into a juggernaut representing some of the biggest touring artists in the world: Taylor Swift, George Strait, Kenny Chesney, Ed Sheeran, Eric Church, Blake Shelton, The Lumineers and more.
“I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve built over the past 25 years, and I’m even more excited about where we’re headed,” shares Louis Messina, founder and CEO of Messina Touring. “The future of this company is in great hands with leaders like President Mike Dugan and Nashville President Haley McCollister, who continue to push us forward while staying true to the values that have defined Messina Touring from day one.”
“From the beginning, Messina Touring has been about trust, relationships and long-term thinking,” adds Dugan. “What makes this moment special is that we’re continuing to build on that foundation alongside our partners at AEG Presents, while positioning the company for continued growth in an ever-evolving live music landscape.”
“Growing the Nashville office and watching it become such an integral part of Messina Touring’s future has been incredibly meaningful,” notes McCollister. “Being part of a company that prioritizes artists, collaboration and people makes this an exciting time to help lead the next chapter.”
The foundation of Messina Touring dates back to the late ‘90s, when Messina – alongside Rome McMahon and Kate DesEnfants McMahon, both still with the company today – worked on the George Strait Country Music Festival, then the first and only Country stadium tour. As the business expanded within the traditional local promoter model through buyouts and mergers, the team found that the spirit that drew them to live music was slowly being diluted, replaced by a more corporate, less artist-driven approach.
In response, Messina made the decision to go it alone, working out of his home office and betting on a tour with Chesney. The first show took place on January 31, 2002, officially launching Messina Touring in West Palm Beach with what at the time was a hugely successful 11,238 tickets on opening night. The tour ultimately saw Chesney play 98 dates that year, laying the groundwork for a company built on trust, long-term thinking and deep artist partnerships.
In the 25 years since, Messina Touring has helped shape the careers of the most influential artists in modern music. Early relationships with Strait and Chesney grew into a roster that reflects the company’s long-term philosophy – from meeting Swift when she opened for Strait, to later welcoming her own opening acts like Sheeran to the roster, along with Church, Shelton, The Lumineers, Old Dominion, Phoebe Bridgers, Ty Myers, Zac Brown Band and other longstanding collaborators.
Across its history, Messina Touring has produced some of the most successful tours in live music, including Swift’s Eras Tour, the biggest tour of all time. The global run sold out worldwide, spanning 149 shows in 50 cities across 19 countries and five continents, drawing more than 10 million fans. Longtime partner Chesney has played more than 200 stadium shows under the Messina Touring banner, in addition to 27 performances at Sphere in Las Vegas, while Strait has set numerous attendance records throughout his touring career, including landmark single-day and multi-show achievements.
Throughout its growth into such a dominant force in the live music industry, Messina Touring has remained intentionally relationship driven. As Messina himself often says, “I only want to work with people who want to work with me.” Foregoing short-term, headline-grabbing guarantees that can limit creative and touring flexibility, the company partners with artists who are ready to bet on themselves, take ownership of their careers and collaborate closely with a team that treats touring as a shared endeavor.
That philosophy extends internally as well. What began as a home-office operation has grown into a team of 38 full-time staff members across Austin and Nashville, with team members recognized among Billboard’s Power 100, Women in Music and Country Power Players; Forbes’s 30 Under 30; Pollstar’s Impact 50, Women of Live, Live Hall of Fame; and more.
As Messina Touring begins the year-long celebration of its 25th anniversary, the milestone coincides with a renewed focus on the future. With a newly unveiled brand identity plus a robust slate of tours underway and ahead in 2026 – from Sheeran’s 2026 Loop Tour playing stadiums across the globe to Chesney returning to Sphere in Las Vegas for year two of his residency – the company enters its next chapter grounded in the same principles that have guided it since the beginning: trust, collaboration and a belief that the best touring careers are built together.
For more information, visit MessinaTouring.com and follow @MessinaTouring on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.
