While it has rowed back on plans to float Universal Music Group, French media conglomerate Vivendi continues to grow talent, venue and ticketing endeavour Vivendi Village
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Vivendi grows ticketing, live revenue in Q1
The ticketing and live entertainment divisions of French conglomerate Vivendi recorded steady growth for Q1 2019, aided by the acquisition of Paylogic and festivals
By Anna Grace on 15 Apr 2019
ODP Talence
image © Rod Maurice
Vivendi Village (VV), the division of French media giant Vivendi related to live entertainment, has recorded a strong first financial quarter for 2019, with particular growth in ticketing revenues.
The Vivendi subsidiary includes ticketing operations See Tickets, Digitick and Paylogic, as well as live event producers Vivendi Talents & Live and promoter Olympia Production, which owns festivals and venues in France, the UK and Africa.
Overall VV revenues were up 0.4% from the first quarter of 2018 and 16.4% at constant currency and perimeter, which reflects the impact of the acquisition of ticketing technology platform Paylogic in April last year.
Ticketing revenues amounted to €15m, an increase of 38.3% compared to the first quarter of 2018. The company attributes the success to the acquisition of Paylogic, which enabled further expansion throughout Europe and access to Paylogic clients including Tomorrowland, ID&T, Amsterdam Dance Event and Awakenings.
In 2018, Vivendi’s ticketing platforms turned over €58m, selling a record 20m tickets.
The company’s live activities recorded revenues of €7m, an increase of 57.4% at constant currency and perimeter as compared to the same period of last year.
Overall, Vivendi’s group revenue saw an increase of 10.7% as compared to Q1 of last year
In February 2019, Olympia Production signed an agreement for the co-production, ticketing and communication of the ODP Talence festival in southwest France, in line with its policy to develop regional festivals in France. The festival, which celebrated its fourth edition last year, received 17,000 visitors over three days.
Olympia Production acquired popular French music festival Garorock (50,000-cap.) in October last year.
CanalOlympia is expected to open its twelfth venue on April 17 in Brazzaville, the Republic of Congo, adding to existing venues in Guinea, Niger, Cameroon, Burkina Faso, Senegal, Benin, Togo and Gabon.
Overall, Vivendi’s group revenue saw an increase of 10.7% as compared to Q1 of last year, amounting €3,459m.
The French media conglomerate mainly attributes this to the growth of Universal Music Group, which grew revenue to €1,502m, up 18.8% at constant currency and perimeter and 22.9% on an actual basis.
New releases from Ariana Grande and Billie Eilish, as well as continued sales of the A Star is Born soundtrack and Queen albums contributed to UMG’s first quarter success.
Vivendi is aiming to sell up to 50% of UMG’s share capital to one or more partners “likely to accelerate UMG’s development and increase its value”.
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