AEG Live signs deal to promote Rolling Stones 2013 North American tour

The Rolling Stones have chosen AEG Live as the concert-promotion company for the Rolling Stones' 2013 North American tour, according to a Pollstar report published on March 20, 2013.
AEG Live and Examiner.com are both owned by the Anschutz Company.
The news comes within one week of the Anschutz Company announcing that it was no longer selling the Anschutz Entertainment Group, which is the parent company of AEG Live. AEG Entertainment Group had been put up for sale in September 2012, but had not been sold to another company. In the announcement (which was made on March 14, 2013), the Anschutz Company announced that Tim Leiweke would be leaving his position as CEO of Anschutz Entertainment Group, and that Anschutz Company chairman Philip Anschutz would “resume a more active role” in the company.
As previously reported, the Rolling Stones' 2013 tour is expected to launch in May, according to reports from Billboard and Rolling Stone. The tour dates are to be announced, but sources told Billboard that there will be less than 20 concert dates on the North American tour.
The Rolling Stones had been in discussions with Australian promoter Paul Dainty and Virgin Music, which teamed up to promote the Rolling Stones' five "50 and Counting" 50th anniversary concerts in late 2012 at arenas in London and the New York City area. But according to Pollstar, those talks fell apart, and AEG Live came up with a deal that the Stones liked more.
RollingStone.com (the website for Rolling Stone magazine) confirmed the Billboard report on March 8, 2013. According to RollingStone.com, the tour will begin on May 2. However, until an official announcement is made, this date cannot be thoroughly confirmed. In addition, there will likely be more tour dates added after the official announcement is made.
Pollstar, Rolling Stone and Billboard did not mention in their reports what size venues the Rolling Stones will be playing on the 2013 tour. Most of the band's concerts in the 21st century have been at arenas, as opposed to the larger stadium tours that the Rolling Stones did in the 1980s and 1990s.
As is the Rolling Stones' tradition, the band is expected to hold a press conference in New York City to officially announce the tour. The press conference date and location are to be announced, but Pollstar says the announcement is expected to be made in early April 2013. Tickets are also expected to go on sale in April 2013.
As previously reported in a RollingStone.com article published on January 4, 2013, Rolling Stones lead singer Mick Jagger confirmed what he previously hinted at in interviews: The Rolling Stones will tour in 2013. The website Jagger as saying: “There have been quite a few offers, I’m going to see what’s on the table and discuss it with everyone. We’ll announce it when we’ve figured it out.”