Ari Emanuel’s events business will acquire theater owner ATG Entertainment
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- Ari Emanuel’s events company Mari is buying ATG Entertainment, which operates 70 venues from London’s West End to Broadway, deepening its stake in the booming live-theater business.
- The deal, from private equity firm Providence, extends Mari’s growing portfolio that includes TodayTix, the Miami Open and Frieze, reflecting a long-term bet on experiential entertainment.
- ATG’s theaters are slated for preservation and modernization as Mari vows to enhance audience experiences and expand opportunities for local artists.
Ari Emanuel’s events and experiences business, Mari, said Tuesday that it will acquire ATG Entertainment, which operates 70 venues, including theaters in London’s West End.
ATG’s venues have hosted more than 16,000 performances and more than 18 million theatergoers annually, according to Mari. ATG also co-produces work for West End and Broadway and is the home for productions including “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.”
“I’ve seen the industry reinvent itself many times, but live has only grown more powerful,” Emanuel said in a statement. “Nothing connects great talent with audiences more directly. ATG has built one of the world’s great theater businesses around that experience. This is a long-term bet on where live goes next.”
Mari is acquiring ATG from Providence Equity Partners LLC for an undisclosed price and the deal is subjected to regulatory approvals.
The acquisition comes as Mari continues to expand its portfolio of businesses. Last year, Mari acquired TodayTix Group, a theater ticketing platform serving Broadway and London’s West End, for an undisclosed price. Mari owns several events and experiences properties, including tennis tournament Miami Open, contemporary art organization Frieze and London’s Hyde Park Winter Wonderland.
ATG operates three venues in San Francisco: Orpheum Theatre, Golden Gate Theatre and Curran Theatre.
Hollywood super agent Ari Emanuel’s newevents and experiences company, Mari, acquired ticketing business TodayTix Group.
Mari plans to invest in the preservation and modernization of ATG theaters and in the audience experience, adding Mari’s “creative energy will be a strong component,” said Mark Shapiro, principal investor and Mari board member, in a statement. The company also said it aims to create new opportunities for local artists and broaden access to live theater.
After the deal closes, ATG will continue to operate under its existing leadership, Mari said.
“MARI understands live entertainment and what matters most to ATG: our theaters, the people behind them and the relationships we have built with producers, artists and audiences,” said Melanie Smith, global CEO of London-based ATG Entertainment. “That makes MARI the right home for our next chapter.”
The Raine Group and Moelis & Co. were financial advisors to Mari, while LionTree was the lead financial advisor and Goldman Sachs, Jefferies and Barron International Group also served as financial advisors to ATG and Providence in the deal.
