Proposed sale of Vivendi’s festival and international ticketing activities to CTS EVENTIM
- The two companies today announced that they have signed a put option agreement.
- The proposed sale will offer new development opportunities to Vivendi’sfestival portfolio and See Tickets’ international activities while ensuringmaximum continuity for all their partners.
Paris/Munich, 2 April 2024 – CTS EVENTIM: a leading international provider of ticketing services and live entertainment, and Vivendi, a global leader in culture, entertainment, media and communications, have signed a put option agreement on the sale of Vivendi’s festival and international ticketing activities. The transaction should be completed in the coming months after consultation of the employee representative bodies concerned.
Hala Bavière, CEO of Vivendi Village and member of the Executive Committee of Vivendi:
“I am proud of what has been accomplished over more than a decade and extremely grateful for the strong dedication of all the teams involved. We at Vivendi are convinced that
CTS EVENTIM will be the right company to bring our ticketing and festival activities to new heights, supporting See Tickets to remain a state-of-the-art company in services and technology, while fostering the growth of the festivals and preserving their unique identities and audience.”
Klaus-Peter Schulenberg, CEO, CTS EVENTIM: “With See Tickets and its festival operations, Vivendi has established two notable players in the ticketing and live entertainment sector. I’d like to thank Vivendi for the productive negotiations, which have created a strong foundation for success in an industry enjoying robust growth across Europe. The acquisition supports our internationalization strategy and will also benefit artists and their managers, as we will be able to offer even more seamless services on a global scale. We look forward to collaborating with our new colleagues on shaping the future of live entertainment.”
See Tickets is a well-respected, major player in the industry: As the number two ticketing provider in the UK and a successful actor in other markets, it provides comprehensive ticketing services for concerts, trade fairs, sporting events and more. In addition to the UK, the business that CTS EVENTIM is set to acquire also operates in seven other countries in Europe (Belgium, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, and Switzerland), and in the US. Globally, See Tickets sold about 44 million tickets in 2023.
Vivendi has also created a diverse portfolio of highly curated music and live events that deliver a superb fan experience through a strong identity and unique brand. The festivals include Junction 2 in the UK and Garorock in France.
Vivendi’s ticketing and festival activities that CTS EVENTIM is set to acquire collectively produced €137 million in revenues in 2023. The ticketing business generated roughly
€105 million of that, with the UK market responsible for the largest share, followed by its US market. The festival business that is part of the current deal generated an additional €32 million.
With CTS EVENTIM, Vivendi has found a fitting new home for its festival and international ticketing activities. The German company is the number one provider of ticketing and live entertainment services in Europe and number two in the world. It works passionately with promoters and artists to create exceptional live entertainment for fans worldwide – from global tours and regional concerts to major sporting events. The EVENTIM LIVE network, with 39 members, is the largest festival promoter in Europe. CTS EVENTIM has been in the festival business for many years, and is committed to continually expanding this vibrant segment.
The transaction will ensure maximum continuity for staff, partners, the festivals themselves and the regions where they are held. Both See Tickets and the festival business will retain their existing identities and management.
In line with its transformation strategy, Vivendi ensured internal and external growth of its ticketing and festival activities, adapting them to the latest customer and audience expectations. These assets are now ready to enter a new stage in their development with a Europe-based company that has a major presence in the global live entertainment sector.
Vivendi’s performance hall activities, including L’Olympia in Paris, as well as See Tickets France and Brive Festival, are not part of this agreement.
