DEAG sales soar, return to pre-pandemic levels
Deutsche Entertainment (DEAG) has reported a return to form in the first quarter of 2022, with sales returning to pre-pandemic levels.
The Berlin-based live entertainment group generated sales of around €31 million in the first three months of 2022 – up 2,700% from Q1 2021 when operating sales were €1.1m and reported sales were €4m.
Sales in Q1 of this year were even higher than the first quarter of 2018 (€27m) and the first quarter of 2019 (€25.5m).
According to the promoter and ticketing agency, the increase is largely down to a number of events in all of the company’s national markets (Germany, the UK, Switzerland, Ireland and Denmark).
Notable events for DEAG in Q1 2022 included concerts by Simply Red and Texas in the UK and Bonnie Tyler in Switzerland, the international literature festival lit.COLOGNE, electronic festival “Mayday – 30 Years” in Germany, and Dita von Teese’s burlesque tour in the UK.
In addition, EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation) in Q1 came to around €2.8m, up from €2.4m in the same period of last year.
“Finally! we can shift into a forward gear operationally once again and do what we burn for: to host exciting events”
For the first time in DEAG’s history, the ticketing segment was profitable in the traditionally weaker first quarter – a growth which is expected to continue throughout the year.
Overall, sales for the financial year of 2022 are expected to multiply year-on-year and significantly exceed pre-corona levels, says the company.
“Finally! Following the paralysis of the entire live entertainment industry caused by corona, we can shift into a forward gear operationally once again and do what we burn for: to host exciting events,” comments Prof. Peter L.H. Schwenkow, CEO of DEAG.
“The audience reactions and our first quarter figures show that we are extremely successful with this. We increased our operating sales by a factor of twenty-eight, a result that we owe entirely to our operational strength.
“Our EBITDA is also clearly positive. The Covid-19-related conditions have since eased further, so we will be burning off event fireworks in the coming quarters. For example, we will stage concerts with stars such as KISS, Ed Sheeran in the UK, Iron Maiden, Zucchero, Die Toten Hosen, Anna Netrebko and Die Ärzte, as well as open-air festivals such as Nature One, Belladrum and Sion sous les étoiles. We are excellently positioned for the restart of the industry. In 2022 as a whole, we will massively increase our sales and even significantly exceed the pre-corona level.”
DEAG says it has already sold more than 6.3 million tickets for events in its core markets for the coming quarters. On the basis of ticket sales and the “bulging event pipeline,” the company expects its upward trajectory to carry on in 2023.
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AEG Global Partnerships hires Ingrid Petri
AEG Global Partnerships has hired seasoned industry executive Ingrid Petri as VP, portfolio sales.
Based out of AEG’s New York office, Petri will serve as a key member of the sales team, responsible for driving innovative business solutions for new partners and growing strategic relationships with companies investing across the AEG portfolio.
She will be tasked with building multi-property deals with major brands that span all facets of AEG’s business including venues such as Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena, LA LIVE, and music festivals including California’s Coachella and Stagecoach.
“Ingrid is both an outstanding and valuable addition to our Global Partnerships team as she brings a deep understanding of sports and entertainment along with a proven ability to secure world-class partnerships that deliver meaningful results for brands,” says Nick Baker, chief operating officer, AEG Global Partnerships.
“AEG’s dynamic portfolio of global properties provides truly unique opportunities for partner brands to create authentic and meaningful customer connections”
Petri brings with her more than two decades worth of experience in sales, brand development, and experiential marketing having held senior leadership roles across major sports leagues, teams, and media companies. Prior to joining AEG, she spent eight years with the National Basketball Association (NBA) as associate VP of business development and global partnerships.
“I’m thrilled with the opportunity to join AEG, the world’s leading sports and live entertainment company and its best-in-class leadership team,” says Petri. “Its dynamic portfolio of global properties provides truly unique opportunities for partner brands to create authentic and meaningful consumer connections – in a fundamentally transforming world. I’m also particularly proud to join a company that’s committed to driving positive change in the world through philanthropy, sustainability, equity and inclusion.”
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AXS adds former Eventbrite execs to business team
AEG ticketing partner AXS has added two former Eventbrite executives to its sales team, as the company continues to grow its music sector.
Shaun Eidson joins the team as vice president of sales for music and Stephanie Streeter takes on the role of senior director of sales for music.
Combined, the new hires have more than two decades worth of industry experience across business development, sales and strategic partnerships.
Having previously worked at fellow ticketing companies Eventbrite and StubHub, Eidson will develop and manage engagements with music venues, promoters and artists to implement the AXS platform in international markets.
Streeter, who helped lead the migration of Ticketfly clients over to the Eventbrite platform, will develop partnerships with music festivals, venues and promoters in her newly created role at AXS.
“Shaun and Stephanie bring deep knowledge of what artists and venues require from their ticketing partner”
Eventbrite now has fewer than 100 clients left to migrate, according to a recent Q2 financial report.
“The AXS platform is pushing the pace of innovation for the music industry at every level, from clubs and theatres to arenas, and we continue to add partners that are looking for more sophisticated and robust tools to help grow their businesses,” says Rob Sine, chief revenue officer for AXS, who both Streeter and Eidson will report to.
“Shaun and Stephanie bring deep knowledge of what artists and venues require from their ticketing partner to continue to serve the ever-evolving needs of artists, promoters, and fans and we are thrilled to have them join the AXS team.”
AXS launched its official price-capped resale platform at AEG-owned London arenas the O2 (20,000-cap.) and the SSE Arena (12,500) earlier this year.
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Grammy performances yield 480% sales gain for artists
Songs performed at Saturday’s 61st Grammy Awards by Lady Gaga, Kacey Musgraves, Bradi Carlile, H.E.R. and others, collectively contributed to a 480% increase in digital download sales, according to Nielsen Music.
The songs performed at the awards ceremony, including H.E.R.’s ‘Hard Place’ (up 102,000%), Kacey Musgraves’ ‘Rainbow’ (up 9,430%), Brandi Carlile’s ‘The Joke’ (up 2,771%) and Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper’s ‘Shallow’ (up 229%), collectively sold 71,000 downloads on the day of the show, 12,000 more than on the day before the awards.
‘Shallow’, winner of best pop duo/ group performance, was the biggest seller of all Grammy-performed songs, selling 14,000 downloads on the day of the awards. The song lost out to Childish Gambino’s ‘This is America’ in the record of the year category, a win predicted by artificial intelligence platform, DataRobot.
Musgraves’ Golden Hour, winner of album of the year and best country album at the Grammys, also saw a vast increase in sales, selling over 3,000 copies on Saturday, up from less than 1,000.
Songs performed at the awards ceremony collectively sold 71,000 downloads on the day of the show, 12,000 more than the day before
Songs featuring in a Dolly Parton tribute performed by Musgraves, Katy Perry, Miley Cyrus and Parton herself, among others, also registered sales increases. The original Parton versions of the five songs performed in the medley sold 6,000 downloads collectively, up 718% in comparison to the previous day’s 1,000 downloads.
The sum includes Parton’s renditions of ‘Here You Come Again’, ‘Jolene’, ‘Red Shoes’ and ‘9 to 5’, along with her version of Neil Young’s ‘After the Gold Rush’.
This year’s Grammy Awards, held at Staples Center in Los Angeles, saw other notable performances from awards host Alicia Keys, Janelle Monae, Shawn Mendes, Cardi B, and St Vincent and Dua Lipa, winner of best new artist.
See the full list of winners at the Recording Academy website.
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The Ticket Factory introduces new commercial team
One of the UK’s leading national ticketing agents, the Ticket Factory, has today announced the creation of a new commercial team tasked with creating more sales and driving profits.
The ticketing company, is owned by UK venue operator NEC Group and is the official box office for the NEC Birmingham as well as a ticket seller for top music festivals like Latitude and Download. It hopes the move will nurture already established links with clients and partners as well as secure new ones.
The team will be comprised of four handpicked individuals. Previously consumer sales and marketing director, Chris Pile has been appointed as commercial director. He will be joined by Nick Fenton, who will take on the role of commercial manager. Fenton will also be tasked with selling TTF’s industry-leading trade system ExpoWare.
On the subject of his new appointment, Pile says: “I’m looking forward to the opportunities myself and my team can build and nurture with both clients and partners for the Ticket Factory.
“This is the next exciting stage in the Ticket Factory’s development”
“Driving market awareness of TTF’s products and services is essential to achieving our business goals.”
The pair will be joined by partnership manager Aliya Hussain, who will take on the company’s marketing and distribution reach. The team is finished by group sales manager Kelly Sharman.
Speaking about the Ticket Factory’s aims, director of ticketing Richard Howle says: “This is the next exciting stage in the Ticket Factory’s development.
“Introducing a dedicated commercial team serves to propel these ambitions.”
The news of the new commercial team comes after the Ticket Factory recently secured an exclusive three year ticketing contract with Crufts. It hopes the new team will be able to deliver an expanded product range to high-profile clients like this.
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