New Global Booking Agency from ATC and Arrival Artists Now Reps 800 Artists

The music industry's landscape is shifting dramatically with the launch of Rome, a new global booking agency formed by the merger of Arrival Artists and ATC. This 50-50 partnership unites two powerhouse agencies—Arrival (U.S.-focused, based in Colorado) and ATC (Europe-based, led by Scully Kaplan in London)—into a single, independent force representing over 800 artists across North America, Europe, Asia, and beyond. The result is the largest independent booking agency in the world, offering artists unified global representation for the first time. In this episode, Ethan Berlin and Scully Kaplan break down the financial realities of touring in 2026, revealing how rising costs, volatile fuel prices, and complex expense structures make profitability increasingly difficult. They expose the hidden line items in settlement reports—from $250 for towels to $5,000 in production fees—and emphasize that smart, creative budgeting is now essential. The duo shares how agents now negotiate door deals, tour deals with promoters, and even bar cuts to maximize artist earnings. They also reveal that artists like Corey Wong sell 6,000 tickets in Tokyo while struggling in smaller U.S. markets, proving that success is not global—it’s local, genre-specific, and often built through years of strategic touring. Most importantly, they argue that making it in the new music business isn’t about following a blueprint, but about being unorthodox, resourceful, and deeply committed to the artist’s vision.