Australia’s TEG acquires UK’s the MJR Group

Australasian live entertainment powerhouse TEG has acquired the MJR Group, the UK-based promoter and venue operator, the companies announced early 26 August Australian time (9pm BST).

The MJR Group promotes more than 2,000 shows a year and owns and operates multiple venues in the UK, including the Tramshed in Cardiff and the Mill in Birmingham (both 1,000-cap.), as well as recently acquired club-night brand Propaganda.

The company also has an international touring division, MJR Presents, which operates out of Sydney and Port Macquarie in Australia and London and Bristol in the UK. It is is promoting the forthcoming ’90s nostalgia tour Bring That Beat Back, featuring Flavor Flav, Bobby Brown and Blu Cantrell, in Australia and New Zealand. MJR operates out of Sydney and Port Macquarie in Australia and London and Bristol in the UK, and has also organised and promoted tours across Dubai, South Africa, Japan and China.

TEG, meanwhile, organises more than 200 events a year through its owned promoters, TEG Dainty and TEG Live, and issues more than 28 million tickets annually with Ticketek (one of the ‘big two’ Australian ticket sellers, according to the ITY, the other being Ticketmaster). An Asian division, based in Singapore, brings together affiliated ticketing operations in Malaysia, Hong Kong, Macau and the Philippines.

The MJR Group’s operations will be incorporated into TEG’s global offering, with the MJR Group’s UK operations to be renamed TEG UK.

Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed, though IQ understands the purchase price to be an eight-figure sum.

According to TEG CEO Geoff Jones, the acquisition of MJR gives TEG “a strong presence in the vibrant UK and European markets, and demonstrates its focus and commitment to the international expansion of its pioneering integrated live entertainment model”.

“The MJR Group is a great fit for TEG”

“TEG is already Asia-Pacific’s leading ticketing, live entertainment and technology business, and this acquisition marks a significant step towards TEG becoming a global live entertainment powerhouse,” he comments.

“The MJR Group is a great fit for TEG. It has strong management talent and a clever live entertainment model to which TEG can add ticketing, analytics and digital capability. The MJR Group also brings significant additions to our venue portfolio.”

The MJR Group’s three partners, Richard Buck (group CEO and head of UK), Dan Ickowitz-Seidler (head of UK venues and Propaganda) and Scott Mesiti (head of Australia and New Zealand), will remain with the TEG group.

“We are very excited by this venture and the enhanced business opportunities brought by TEG,” says Buck. “We’ve worked hard to scale the business over the last five years and this next step in our evolution will further strengthen our position in the market.

“Both companies are digitally focused and this synergy allows both parties even more leverage by combining each other’s tech expertise and insights to best connect with live entertainment fans.”

“The MJR Group has built a great reputation and lasting relationships in the UK, Australia and elsewhere, and I am thrilled to welcome Richard, Dan and Scott to the TEG family,” adds Jones.

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