Live Nation has forged a groundbreaking multi-year partnership with the NFL to produce the post-game ceremony of the Super Bowl for the next three years.

The “milestone” deal begins this year after Super Bowl LIX, which takes place on Sunday (9 February) at the Superdome in New Orleans. Kendrick Lamar and SZA are set to deliver this year’s halftime show, on which Jay-Z’s Roc Nation consults with NFL.

An official press release states that the partnership “reflects both Live Nation and NFL’s commitment to delivering the best fan experiences and to raising the bar for live entertainment”.

Building on the excitement of the Super Bowl’s pre-game and halftime shows, Live Nation aims to deliver a “spectacular” trophy ceremony that captures the NFL and its global presence. Redefining the post-game experience, the ceremony is set to become a key feature of the Super Bowl.

“The Super Bowl is such an iconic event – we jumped at the opportunity to partner with the NFL for the post-game ceremony”

“The Super Bowl is such an iconic event – we jumped at the opportunity to partner with the NFL for the post-game ceremony,” says SVP special operations at Live Nation, James Massing. “Continually innovating the fan experience and game presentation is what makes the NFL best in class and we are proud to play our part in this legendary moment.”

Tim Tubito, NFL’s senior director of event presentation & content, adds: “The post-game ceremony is a celebration for the winning team, their fans and the culmination of an unforgettable NFL season. We are excited for Live Nation to bring their expertise and passion to this tradition over the next three years.”

The partnership builds on the success of Live Nation’s production of Machine Gun Kelly at the half-time show during the NFL’s game in Munich last year, celebrating the league’s final international game of the 2024 regular season.

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ASM Global has named Ticketmaster as its ticketing partner for the new Becketwell Live in Derby, UK.

The 3,500-capacity venue is set to open later this spring with a programme comprising concerts, family events, sports and conferencing.

The venue will utilise Ticketmaster’s marketing and distribution technology to reach fans of all genres, according to a release.

In addition, ASM Global has renewed its partnership with Ticketmaster for the exclusive ticketing of Sheffield venues Utilita Arena Sheffield and Sheffield City Hall.

“2025 is shaping up to be an exciting year. We’ve already taken on major new contracts with Utilita Arena and Sheffield City Hall, both of which are set for investment and enhancements, and we’re thrilled to soon unveil the state-of-the-art Becketwell Live in Derby,” says Chris Bray, president of ASM Global Europe.

“We’re thrilled to soon unveil the state-of-the-art Becketwell Live in Derby”

“Our mission is always to deliver excellence, particularly when it comes to the fan experience. This begins the moment a fan decides to purchase a ticket, which is why we’ve partnered with Ticketmaster to ensure a seamless and unforgettable experience for everyone visiting these three extraordinary venues.”

Andrew Parsons, managing director of Ticketmaster, adds: “ASM Global renewing these Sheffield partnerships and choosing to work with us on their impressive Becketwell Live plans solidifies their confidence in our team’s ability to deliver an exceptional fan experience. We look forward to taking these venues to the next level.”

Becketwell Live’s programme so far includes concerts from Wet Wet Wet and Fleetwood Mac and ABBA tribute acts. Other live entertainment includes a comedy show with Miriam Margolyes and a live recording of the popular podcast Saving Grace.

ASM Global’s UK portfolio also includes Manchester’s AO Arena, Leeds’ first direct arena, London’s OVO Arena Wembley, and more.

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Superstruct Entertainment has signed a partnership and investment agreement with Spanish promoter Riff Producciones, it has been announced.

Co-founded in 1994 by Carlos Espinosa and Chris Ortiz, Riff has brought several major international draws to Spain, including Bob Dylan, Los Lobos, Paul Simon, Mark Knopfler, John Fogerty, Iron Maiden and Joe Satriani.

The Andalusia-based firm also books a handful of Spanish artists and organises several festivals including I Like Festival and Eutopía in Cordova, Musicians in Nature in Castilla y León and Blues Cazorla in Jaén.

Superstruct, which has interests in 23 Iberia-based festivals such as Arenal Sound, Benicàssim and Sónar, says it will support the development and growth of Riff with its resources and international experience. Riff’s current team will continue to manage the company.

“We are delighted to add Riff Producciones to our global network,” says Roderik Schlösser, CEO of Superstruct Entertainment.

“This alliance with Superstruct is a recognition of the work and effort of our team over the years”

“Their legacy of excellence and commitment to quality in event production in Spain is unmatched, and together we will be able to continue offering unforgettable experiences to millions of people.”

Espinosa, director of Riff Producciones, adds: “This alliance with Superstruct is a recognition of the work and effort of our team over the years. We share a common vision of raising the standards of live music and we are sure that this union will open new doors to continue creating unique shows in Spain and the rest of the world.”

Last month, private equity firm CVC secured a stake in Superstruct just weeks after KKR’s acquisition of the festival behemoth was given the green light.

Fellow global investment giant KKR, whose interests include music company BMG, acquired Superstruct from Providence for €1.3 billion in June – a deal that was approved by the European Commission last month.

Superstruct owns and operates over 80 music festivals across 10 countries in Europe and Australia, including Wacken Open Air, Parookaville, Tinderbox, Sónar, Øya, Benicàssim, Kendal Calling and Boardmasters. It was founded in 2017 by Creamfields founder and former Live Nation president of electronic music James Barton and Roderik Schlosser while at Providence.

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Primavera Sound has formed a strategic alliance with live entertainment discovery platform Fever, which has become the official ticketing partner of the festival.

The partnership has already kicked off with the first passes for upcoming editions of Primavera Sound in Barcelona and Porto available exclusively on Fever.

Also on the platform are tickets for the Primavera Tours programme, the concerts organised by Primavera Labels and the live broadcasts of Radio Primavera Sound.

“It is excellent news. We are sure that working with Fever will not only facilitate our relationship with the Primavera Sound community that already knows us, but will also make our activities reach new audiences thanks to its reach and technology,” says Alfonso Lanza, director of Primavera Sound.

“Its platform guarantees all our fans a first-class, intuitive and secure shopping experience, thanks to its solid experience in the field of live entertainment.”

“This collaboration will bring our cutting-edge technology to one of the most innovative music festivals”

Rocío Trujillo Alba, Fever’s general manager for Southern Europe, adds: “We are delighted to partner with Primavera Sound, a festival that shares our passion for unforgettable live experiences. This collaboration will bring our cutting-edge technology to one of the most innovative music festivals, ensuring a seamless ticketing experience for fans. This partnership underlines the versatility of our technology. We are excited to help Primavera Sound connect with its vibrant community and also with new audiences.”

Fever is based in Madrid, Spain and New York, US and is led by Spaniards Ignacio Bachiller Ströhlein, Alexandre Perez Casares and Francisco Hein.

The platform, which operates in 30 countries, makes personalised recommendations for users to enjoy unique, in-person local experiences such as immersive exhibitions, interactive theatrical experiences and festivals.

The company is reportedly valued at $1.8 billion after its last funding round in February 2023, which was led by Goldman Sachs.

Earlier this year, Fever formed a strategic alliance with Last Tour, the promoter behind Bilbao BBK Live, Cala Mijas, BIME and Kalorama.

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Ticketing giant CTS Eventim has partnered with Visa solution Tink to provide a new payment option for fans across Europe.

Benefiting from Tink’s pan-European network, CTS has added Pay by Bank as a checkout option for its customers across Austria, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland and the UK, with ambitions to expand into more markets throughout 2024.

Stockholm-founded Visa subsidiary Tink is described as a payment services and data enrichment platform, while Pay by Bank is an open banking online payment method that lets users authenticate and initiate payments directly from their bank account into a seller’s account in just a few clicks.

“We’ve integrated Pay by Bank from Tink to offer our customers a seamless, secure, and instant way to pay directly from their bank accounts,” says Sören Kuthning, CTS’ head of e-commerce finance operations. “This enhances the checkout experience by reducing payment failures and processing times. The additional option not only improves customer satisfaction but also supports us in delivering an efficient and reliable service.”

“Today’s consumers demand simplicity and speed in their payment processes, particularly when purchasing tickets for sought after events”

CTS systems and platforms sell more than 300 million tickets per year worldwide.

“Today’s consumers demand simplicity and speed in their payment processes, particularly when purchasing tickets for sought after events,” adds Thomas Gmelch, DACH (Germany, Austria and Switzerland) payments director at Tink. “Pay by Bank delivers precisely that, offering one of the smoothest online payment experiences.

“Partnering with Eventim allows us to show the true value of Pay by Bank. With this payment method, the only prerequisite is a bank account, opening up the possibility of serving millions of new and frequent Eventim customers. Being part of Visa ensures we are able to provide trusted and secure payment solutions across all of Eventim’s primary markets, leveraging over 60 years of experience in shaping the future of commerce.”

German-headquartered live entertainment company CTS’ share price recently reached another all-time high after the company raised its guidance for 2024 in light of its “excellent” Q2 financial results. Ticketing revenue for the period was up 26% to €358 million, boosted by the firm’s recent acquisition of See Tickets.

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Deutsche Entertainment (DEAG) has formed a cooperation with Black Mamba Event & Marketing, organiser of longstanding electronic music festival Sputnik Spring Break.

The Pouch-based festival has been taking place since 2008 and is now one of the largest festivals in eastern Germany with around 30,000 visitors every year.

The 2024 edition of the festival was completely sold out, with headline performances from Cro, Scooter, Nina Chuba, Tream and Timmy Trumpet.

According to DEAG “comprehensive synergy effects with the Group, in terms of production and infrastructure as well as artist acquisition, will lead to continuous margin improvements”.

The firm claims to be the leading producer of EDM/Techno/Urban festivals in Germany, with a stable of events that includes Airbeat One, MAYDAY, NATURE ONE, Indian Spirit, Syndicate, Ruhr in Love, Toxicator and the Kessel Festival in Stuttgart. The new partnership sees DEAG accelerate its growth in this market.

“We have successfully and profitably implemented our growth strategy in the EDM festival segment since 2019”

The German domestic market leads the ranking of monthly Electronic Music listeners with 369 million, ahead of the United States. Electronic Music outperformed other genres such as Rock, Latin and Hip-Hop in terms of growth in online consumption and recorded the strongest growth worldwide in 2023, according to the IMS Business Report 2024.

“We have successfully and profitably implemented our growth strategy in the EDM festival segment since 2019,” says Detlef Kornett, Group CEO of DEAG. “The cooperation with Rico Tietze will enable us to leverage synergies throughout the Group and in various projects beyond Sputnik. This is the next big step for us at DEAG to strengthen our leading role in this segment.”

Rico Tietze, managing director of Black Mamba event & marketing, adds: “We are delighted to have found a strong cooperation partner in our segment in DEAG. Together, we will continuously improve our festival for our guests and use the network within the Group featuring other strong festivals and the experienced team for further expansion.”

DEAG organising more than 30 one-day and multi-day festival events of all music genres in its core markets of Germany, the UK, Switzerland, Spain and Ireland, attracting over 800,000 visitors each year.

Last week, the Berlin-headquartered firm spun off its hip-hop booking division into a standalone brand called District Live.

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Ticketmaster has been announced as the exclusive ticket partner of London’s Hackney Church.

The new partnership will leverage the ticketing company’s Ticketmaster Local discoverability feature to level up the 1,800-cap venue’s marketing efforts and expand the reach of Hackney Church’s events to a wider audience.

“Hackney Church is an iconic venue, a cornerstone of East London’s culture and community,” says Tim Goom, Ticketmaster’s client development director, music. “We look forward to bringing our ticketing expertise to elevate the fan experience and keep pushing the venue’s mission of creativity and connection.”

Artists booked to play the venue include John Grant, Real Estate and MONO. It will also host a special 50th anniversary celebration of Radio City by Big Star on 31 October. The event will feature the Memphis Band’s sole surviving member Jody Stephens, who will perform the album in full, joined by musicians including REM’s Mike Mills, Jon Auer of The Posies, Pat Sansone of Wilco and Chris Stamey of The dB’s.

“We are proud to partner with Ticketmaster and their mission to support local venues”

“Despite the ongoing economic challenges of running a venue of our size, we are looking ahead with confidence that we will be able continue to deliver high quality events and positively impact the local community in Hackney,” says Thando Zulu, Hackney Church’s experiences director.

Launched in 2023, Ticketmaster Local is designed to encourage people to get out and support their grassroots and local venues by enabling them to easily discover live events taking place nearby. The initiative allows fans to check out what events are happening specifically in their neighbourhood via an interactive map based on location, a newsletter and a dedicated social media channel.

“We are proud to partner with Ticketmaster and their mission to support local venues,” adds Zulu. “It is an exciting step on our continued journey of being a ‘Cathedral of Creativity.’”

Hackney Church, which was previously partnered with Dice, has hosted intimate shows by acts such as Coldplay, Ed Sheeran, Biffy Clyro, Robbie Williams, Sampha, Joy Crookes, Dermot Kennedy and Lianne La Havas.

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AEG-owned ticketing firm AXS is taking over the ticketing operations previously handled by NEC Group’s internal ticketing arm, The Ticket Factory.

As part of the deal, AXS will now provide its ticketing services to NEC Group’s venues, the Resorts World Arena (cap. 15,685) and Utilita Arena Birmingham (15,800).

In addition, AXS will establish a ticketing hub in Birmingham adjacent to the NEC Campus, and all existing employee roles within The Ticket Factory at the NEC Group will become part of the firm.

“We want to make every customer’s experience brilliant, from the moment they think about buying a ticket, to the experience they have at our venues, and every interaction beyond,” says NEC Group CEO Mel Smith, who last year succeeded Paul Thandi.

“The AXS platform opens new and exciting opportunities for us to connect with customers and enhance their journey with us. We are delighted AXS has chosen to establish a centre of ticketing operations in Birmingham and look forward to a long-term partnership for the benefit of customers and the community.”

“The AXS platform opens new and exciting opportunities for us to connect with customers and enhance their journey with us”

Bryan Perez, CEO, AXS, adds: “We have long admired the NEC Group and The Ticket Factory and are therefore thrilled to welcome them into the AXS family. We share their vision for transforming the entire customer journey for fans at Resorts World Arena and Utilita Arena Birmingham and look forward to deploying our industry-leading AXS Mobile ID for fans and Apex platform for arenas to meet that goal. We are also excited to establish another base of operations in the West Midlands that will help grow and service our partners throughout the UK.”

AXS is the ticketing partner for more than 500 venues, sports teams and event organisers across North America, Europe, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. With offices in London and Manchester, the global ticketing firm’s clients include USGA, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Crypto.com Arena, Coachella, Stagecoach, Stockholm Live, The O2, and B. League (Japan).

In the past fortnight, AXS has acquired a majority stake in event tech firm WRSTBND and secured a partnership with TikTok on an in-app ticketing feature.

AXS’s parent company AEG was reportedly interested in acquiring Vivendi-owned See Tickets but the UK-headquartered ticketing company was snapped up by CTS Eventim earlier this month.

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TikTok has partnered with AXS to offer fans a new way to discover and buy tickets to live events.

The in-app ticketing feature enables Certified Artists on TikTok to promote their live dates to new and existing fans globally on the platform by allowing them to add their AXS event links to their videos before publishing.

The feature, which sees AXS become the second major ticketing firm to team with TikTok, will initially go live in the US, UK, Sweden and Australia, with other markets to follow.

“TikTok’s partnership with AXS allows us to connect millions of users with legendary artists, venues, and festivals, and allows artists to promote their live dates and reach their audience in a whole new way,” says TikTok’s global music partnership development lead Michael Kümmerle. “We are very excited to start this journey with AXS and look forward to supporting the further growth of ticketing on TikTok in the future.”

“The partnership will provide seamless ticket-buying access to some of the world’s most iconic venues, festivals, and tours”

TikTok is now an official discovery partner in the AXS Anywhere programme, joining the likes of Spotify, Bandsintown and others. AXS Anywhere allows venues, artists and partners to drive additional sales and revenue by reaching fans where they discover events with targeted ticket offers and experiences.

“TikTok has become one of the most important global platforms for music content attracting an incredible community of artists and fans.” adds AXS chief strategy officer Marc Ruxin. “By combining the reach and influence of TikTok artists with AXS’ global ticketing platform, the partnership will provide seamless ticket-buying access to some of the world’s most iconic venues, festivals, and tours. This is the perfect example of discovery-driven content and commerce for music fans.”

The move comes after TikTok expanded its ticketing partnership with Ticketmaster last year to more than 20 new markets following the launch of the link-up in the US in 2022.

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Ticket insurance and protection operation, TicketPlan, has partnered with Eventim UK to provide refund protection solutions to customers purchasing tickets via the Eventim.co.uk platform.

Announcing the deal, TicketPlan relationship and development director, Ben Bray, says, “We are naturally delighted to partner with Eventim UK to provide our first in class, refund protection services to fans booking tickets via Eventim.co.uk. The Eventim name is synonymous with being a trusted, market leader in ticketing services and live entertainment internationally, and we are very excited to be working with such a world-renowned brand.”

Eventim UK managing director, Martin Fitzgerald, adds, “Ticketplan were the first and natural choice for Eventim UK. We’re excited to be working with such a trusted brand and we know that our customers will benefit from their product and services.”

“Ticketplan were the first and natural choice for Eventim UK”

Established in 1999, TicketPlan is celebrating its 25th year of enabling ticketing companies, sports organisations, venues, attractions and events to provide an added value service to ticket buyers, and to develop a new and valuable incremental source of revenue.

For the fans, TicketPlan provides protection against their inability to attend pre-booked events and attractions due to specified unforeseen circumstances such as accidents, sickness (including Covid19), breakdown of transport, bereavements, and many others.

An ever-increasing number of organisations in the UK, Europe, and North America now trust TicketPlan to provide their ticket insurance and protection facilities. Among the companies that work with TicketPlan are See Tickets, Skiddle, Kaboodle, and Eventfrog, to name but a few.

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