How SUPER is shaping the future of fan experiences

We are in the era of transformational experiences: outside-the-box, once-in-a-lifetime events that go beyond the ordinary. The 2010s catalyzed the explosive growth of VIP programs, with meet and greets and backstage tours now the norm. Fans want to supercharge their concert experience – and the market is ripe for programs that are lucrative, without relying on direct artist involvement or a big budget.

How do we make fans feel like a part of the family, while leaving them with a sense of joy that makes them loyal for life? Answering this question is what drives SUPER – a boutique experiential management agency that conceptualizes and executes top-tier VIP packages with a specialty for touring musical acts and one-of-a-kind festivals.

Prior to founding SUPER, CEO Mike Savas cut his teeth by creating one of the world’s first fully developed VIP programs for Bon Jovi in 2008 for the Lost Highway tour. Fifteen years later, Savas’s company has earned itself a roster of legendary clients – among them Oprah Winfrey, Metallica, Bon Jovi, Queen + Adam Lambert, Genesis, President Barack Obama, Eminem, Katy Perry, Guns N’ Roses, The Who, Phil Collins… and the list keeps growing.

Now, SUPER is recognized as one of the fastest-growing companies in the U.S. according to Inc 5000. The secret, Savas says, is a focus on transformational experiences.

“For a while we were in the experience economy, but we’re evolving into a transformation economy, where people want more than an experience”

“For a while we were in the experience economy, but we’re evolving into a transformation economy, where people want more than an experience — they want to be transformed,” says Mike Savas. “The experience needs to be epic and last well after the show.”

In 2023, SUPER worked with Metallica to bring the “I Disappear” package to life, a membership that allows fans to attend as many Metallica shows as they want on the M72 World Tour. They also offered the Lux Æterna Platform Experience, a viewing platform built into the stage design accommodating eight guests. SUPER identified an opportunity to partner Metallica with sustainable brand YETI, whose sponsorship supplied the tour with exclusive merchandise for each Enhanced Experience ticket holder. In total, the tour has sold over 100,000 packages.

The platform is just one example of how VIP experiences are increasingly being incorporated into stage design – as is the case with VIP opera boxes that were built directly into the stage for the Queen + Adam Lambert Rhapsody Tour, the VIP program for which was managed by SUPER in both the Australian and United States markets. In 2023, SUPER sold over 18,000 VIP packages for Queen + Adam Lambert.

In a world where VIP experiences often become synonymous with exclusivity, SUPER stands out by infusing each fan experience with a touch of magic. As the company continues to shape the VIP touring landscape, their sights are set on always levelling up their offerings, making the seemingly impossible come to life.

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