Prominent concert promoter Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG) will begin mandating proof of full vaccination for concert attendees and venue staff members for all of its shows moving forward, the company announced earlier today. The new policy will go into full effect on October 1, a date that was chosen “to allow time for any eligible unvaccinated ticketholders and staff to reach fully vaccinated status should they choose to do so.” AEG will also be implementing a vaccine or negative COVID-19 test policy in states where it is legal, leading up to the October 1 date.

“We have come to the conclusion that, as a market leader, it was up to us to take a real stand on vaccination status,” AEG Presents chairman and CEO Jay Marciano wrote in a press release. “Just a few weeks ago, we were optimistic about where our business, and country, were heading. The Delta variant, combined with vaccine hesitancy, is pushing us in the wrong direction again. We realize that some people might look at this as a dramatic step, but it’s the right one. We also are aware that there might be some initial pushback, but I’m confident and hopeful that, at the end of the day, we will be on the right side of history and doing what’s best for artists, fans, and live event workers.”

AEG Presents stages some of the biggest festivals in the U.S., including Coachella, Firefly, Day N Vegas, and the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, the last of which was canceled earlier this week due to rising COVID-19 numbers in Louisiana.

“Our hope is that our pro-active stance encourages people to do the right thing and get vaccinated,” Marciano went on. “We’ve already had to deliver bad news about JazzFest this week; I think everyone can agree that we don’t want concerts to go away again, and this is the best way to keep that from happening.”