Neo Sala’s Doctor Music sells majority stake to Eventim

Not content with its conquest of Italy, German ticketing and concert giant CTS Eventim is to enter the Spanish market with the acquisition of a majority stake in independent promoter Doctor Music.

Doctor Music, founded in 1982 by CEO Neo Sala, has over the past four decades promoted Spanish dates by some of the world’s biggest artists, including U2, the Rolling Stones, Prince, Pink Floyd, Michael Jackson, Radiohead, Bruce Springsteen, Adele and REM.

It was also the first company to organise a major music festival in Spain, with Doctor Music Festival – which debuted in 1996 and was headlined by David Bowie – set to return in 2019 after a 19-year hiatus.

Munich-based CTS Eventim – which made four acquisitions in nearby Italy between September 2017 and April 2018 – has acquired a 63.5% share of Doctor Music, including subsidiaries Big Tours and In Cow We Trust, for an undisclosed sum.

The company already owns Entradas.com, which, according to the International Ticketing Yearbook 2017, is Spain’s second-largest primary ticket agency, after Ticketmaster.

“This partnership is a huge leap forward … allowing us to tap the resources and the network of a global player”

Klaus-Peter Schulenberg, CEO of CTS Eventim, says: “The Spanish market has shown encouraging growth in recent years and is one of the most important destinations for artists from across the world. In the future, we will be able to offer them not only efficient ticketing, but also a range of tour options.

“With its international portfolio of artists and inventory strengths, Doctor Music is the ideal partner for this advance.”

“We were one of the first concert promoters to bring the greatest pop and rock stars to Spain, 35 years ago,” adds Sala (pictured). “Since then, Doctor Music has worked tirelessly to put Spain on the international rock and pop stage.

“This partnership is a huge leap forward for my team and myself, allowing us to tap the resources and the network of a global player to offer both artists and fans the best services for an unforgettable live experience.”

Upcoming Doctor Music shows include Bruno Mars, Shawn Mendes, Katy Perry, Camila Cabello and Texas.

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