Billy McFarland Selling Fyre Festival Brand, Issues Statement

Fyre Festival founder Billy McFarland has put the embattled festival brand up for sale with the hopes that a new buyer will be able to guide it to eventual success.

Earlier this week, there was an inkling that a shift was taking place in Fyre Festival's management when it was reported that TruBlue streaming service co-founder Shawn Rech had purchased part of Fyre Festival's IP that included a pair of trademarks that would allow him to launch a new streaming service using the Fyre Festival branding.

Now comes word from McFarland that he's decided to put the Fyre Festival brand up for sale. This comes after a second attempt at putting on a Fyre Festival event seemingly stalled after issues with a second location led to the event's postponement for this year.

Why Billy McFarland Is Selling the Fyre Festival Brand

In a message posted to both his and the festival's social media, McFarland laid out his reasoning behind selling the Fyre Fest brand.

At one point, McFarland comments, "We have decided the best way to accomplish our goals is to sell the FYRE Festival brand, including its trademarks, IP, digital assets, media reach, and cultural capital – to an operator that can fully realize its vision. There is a clear path for operators and entrepreneurs with strong domain expertise to build FYRE into a global force in entertainment, media, fashion, CPG, and more."

He later added, "In addition, following the challenges we faced in Mexico, we were approached by several Caribbean destinations eager to host FYRE Festival 2. We dove into the process-meeting with national officials, conducting site visits-and we’re confident we’ve found the ideal location for the festival. While I’m incredibly excited, I can’t risk a repeat of what happened in Playa Del Carmen, where support quickly turned into public distancing once media attention intensified. For FYRE Festival 2 to succeed, it’s clear that I need to step back and allow a new team to move forward independently, bringing the vision to life on this incredible island."

McFarland also added in the caption of the posting, “A new chapter begins. After two years of rebuilding FYRE with honesty, creativity, and relentless effort, it’s time to pass the torch. We’re officially putting the FYRE brand up for sale. To the right buyer: the platform is yours. Execute the vision. Make history [fire emoji]."

Billy McFarland's Full Statement on Fyre Festival Sale

When my team and I launched FYRE Festival 2, it was about two things: finishing what I started and making things right.
Over the past two years, we’ve poured everything into bringing FYRE back with honesty, transparency, relentless effort, and creativity. We’ve taken the long road to rebuilding trust. We rebuilt momentum. And we proved one thing without a doubt:
FYRE is one of the most powerful attention engines in the world.
Since 2017, FYRE has dominated headlines, documentaries, and conversations as one of the world’s most talked-about music festivals. We knew that FYRE was big, but we didn’t realize just how massive the wave would become. That wave has brought us here: to a point where we know it’s time to call for assistance. This brand is bigger than any one person and bigger than what I’m able to lead on my own. It’s a movement. And it deserves a team with the scale, experience, and infrastructure to realize its potential.
We have decided the best way to accomplish our goals is to sell the FYRE Festival brand, including its trademarks, IP, digital assets, media reach, and cultural capital – to an operator that can fully realize its vision. There is a clear path for operators and entrepreneurs with strong domain expertise to build FYRE into a global force in entertainment, media, fashion, CPG, and more. For example, in the two years since we’ve re- launched FYRE Festival, Hollywood and entertainment executives have already licensed the brand to develop properties specifically in theatre, music streaming, and Free Ad-Supported TV.
In addition, following the challenges we faced in Mexico, we were approached by several Caribbean destinations eager to host FYRE Festival 2. We dove into the process-meeting with national officials, conducting site visits-and we’re confident we’ve found the ideal location for the festival. While I’m incredibly excited, I can’t risk a repeat of what happened in Playa Del Carmen, where support quickly turned into public distancing once media attention intensified. For FYRE Festival 2 to succeed, it’s clear that I need to step back and allow a new team to move forward independently, bringing the vision to life on this incredible island.
I’ve stood by my team, our partners, and our fans since Day 1 of FYRE Festival 2. Giving control of the brand to a new group is the most responsible way to follow through on what we set out to do: build a global entertainment brand, host a safe and legendary event, and continue to pay restitution to those who are owed from the first festival.
To the supporters, believers, and builders who’ve stuck with my team and me: thank you. We will pick the new group based on their ability to execute the vision of FYRE in a transparent, grand, and expeditious manner. The next chapter of FYRE will be bigger, better, and built to last without me at the helm.
Interested buyers can learn more at FYRE.MX
Sincerely,
Billy McFarland
FYRE FESTIVAL
FYRE.MX

Why Fyre Fest Raised Red Flags

The original Fyre Festival in 2017 became the stuff of festival disaster legend. After being teased by social media influences and models, the booked bands started backing out in the days leading up to the event. Promised concerts never happened, those who did travel to the event received inadequate accommodations, subpar catering and witnessed a lack of infrastructure. And one of the lasting images of the festival's failure was that of a cheese sandwich that was shared by one attendee on social media.

McFarland later faced “lawsuits and criminal charges” due to the disastrous results of the first festival that led to his eventually serving jail time for fraud. He was eventually granted an early release from prison.

Upon his release from jail, McFarland pursued the idea of a second Fyre Festival, hoping to change the narrative after the initial festival yielded a couple of documentaries detailing its overall failure.

But in both Isla Mujeras and later Playa Del Carmen, local official denied knowledge of Fyre Fest 2 being on the books despite McFarland's insistence that they had been working to ensure contracts for the event. He even shared permits and documents through social media as a show of transparency.

Another issue that plagued the second festival was McFarland's generalities of the experiences attendees would be enjoying rather than announcing a lineup of those on board to appear and take part. At one point he teased "DJs, rappers, reggae artists, pop stars, but also athletes, divers, models, pilots and creators" but there was no official lineup announcement ever revealed.

READ MORE: DJ Reveals Why She Turned Down Fyre Fest 2 Offer

Ticket packages for the 2025 Fyre Fest 2 experience were going for $1,400 (for one person, not including accommodations or travel) up to $1.1 million. The most expensive package, dubbed the "Prometheus God of Fyre" package, included complimentary accommodations and private air charter for a party of eight people.

What the Fyre Festival Sale Could Mean

McFarland is correct in that Fyre Festival has become a known brand name, but it's currently one that has a negative perception and sparks disbelief.

By removing himself from the equation as the primary spokesperson and management figurehead, McFarland may eventually be correct that new backing could eventually change the public perception of the event should a new festival ever come to fruition.