The two companies today announced that they have signed a put option agreement. The proposed sale will offer new development opportunities to Vivendi’s festival portfolio and See Tickets' international activities while ensuring maximum continuity for all their partners.

PARIS & MUNICH, April 02, 2024--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Regulatory News:

CTS EVENTIM, a leading international provider of ticketing services and live entertainment, and Vivendi (Paris:VIV), 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.

About Vivendi

Since 2014, Vivendi has been building a world-class content, media and communications group. Canal+ Group is a major player in the creation and distribution of cinema and audiovisual content on all continents. Lagardère is the world’s third-largest book publisher for the general public and educational markets and a leading global player in travel retail.
Havas is one of the largest global communications groups with a presence in more than 100 countries. Vivendi is also active in the magazine business (Prisma Media), video games (Gameloft) and live entertainment and ticketing (Vivendi Village). It also owns a global digital content distribution platform (Dailymotion) and a subsidiary dedicated to providing very high-speed Internet access in Africa (GVA). Vivendi’s various activities work closely together as an integrated group committed to transforming its businesses to meet the expectations of the public and anticipate constant changes. As a committed group, Vivendi contributes to building more open, inclusive, and responsible societies by supporting diverse and inventive creative works, promoting broader access to culture, education, and its industries, and increasing awareness of 21st century challenges and opportunities.

About CTS EVENTIM

CTS EVENTIM is the number one provider of ticketing services in Europe and number two in the world. Over 300 million tickets per year are marketed using the Company’s systems – through physical box offices and mobile/online portals. According to Pollstar’s global rankings for 2023, the EVENTIM Group is the second-biggest promoter in the world. In addition, CTS EVENTIM operates some of Europe’s most renowned venues. CTS Eventim AG & Co. KGaA (ISIN DE 0005470306) has been listed on the stock exchange since 2000 and is a member of the MDAX segment. In 2023, the Group generated revenue of EUR 2.4 billion across more than 25 countries.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240402191555/en/

Contacts

PRESS CONTACT CTS EVENTIM 
Christian Colmorgen 
Vice President Corporate Communications
[email protected]

PRESS CONTACT Vivendi 
Jean-Louis Erneux 
Vice President, Press Relations
[email protected]

INVESTOR RELATIONS 
Marco Haeckermann 
Vice President, Corporate Development & Strategy
[email protected]

Xavier Le Roy 
Executive Vice President, Head of Investor Relations
[email protected]