ECI completed the sale of Encore Tickets on 3 February 2020 to TodayTix, the US digital platform for theatre tickets, to create a theatre ticketing distribution network with strength in both the US and Europe.
Encore is an official partner of over 160 theatres and attractions and has been working closely with venues, producers and cultural institutions for over 19 years to create exclusive ticket deals, access and unique experiences for Encore customers. Encore delivers the world’s largest and most international theatre audiences to the West End and Broadway, with over 6 million West End theatre and 10 million attraction tickets on sale at any one time.
During this investment ECI supported Encore in its acquisition of four affiliate bolt-ons between January 2014 and November 2018, being Stargreen Tickets, LondonTheatre.co.uk / NYTG.com, Lastminute.com Theatre and BoxOffice.co.uk.
Joe Steele, CEO of Encore, said of the deal
Since ECI invested in Encore in 2013, we have grown our revenues and digital talent, expanded internationally, and invested to build a leading technology platform. Encore has always been a pioneer in the online ticketing market and we look forward to continuing our growth journey as part of the TodayTix family and with Great Hill Partners.Joe Steele CEO of Encore
George Moss, ECI Partner, said,
We would like to thank Joe and his team at Encore for the hard work they have put in over the past few years turning the business into the leading West End technology platform it is today. We wish them well for an exciting future as part of the TodayTix global platformGeorge Moss ECI Partner
About Encore Tickets
Encore is an official partner of over 160 theatres and attractions and has been working closely with venues, producers and cultural institutions for over 19 years to create exclusive ticket deals, access and unique experiences for Encore customers. Encore delivers the world’s largest and most international theatre audiences with the widest range of plays and shows in the West End and Broadway, with over 6 million West End theatre and 10 million attraction tickets on sale at any one time. The Business sells both direct to consumer through its B2C brands (Ovation Tickets, NewYorkTheatreGuide.com, BoxOffice.co.uk and LondonTheatre.co.uk) as well as through its 1,500 B2B online, media and travel partners including TimeOut, lastminute.com and Expedia. Its global specialist theatre distribution platform is underpinned by a proprietary technology platform. The Business is headquartered in London.
About TodayTix
TodayTix is the premier digital gateway to shows, arts and cultural experiences. Through its mobile-first, design-focused ticketing platform, TodayTix is the place for audiences to discover, explore and engage with the best entertainment their city has to offer.
TodayTix works with more than 1,500 partners to provide the best-priced tickets available in 15 markets around the world, including New York City, London, Toronto, the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, Seattle, Washington DC, Chicago, Sydney and Melbourne. Through innovative digital Lottery and mobile Rush ticketing programs, TodayTix has generated more than 11.6M digital lottery entries and 2.3M social shares through 900 activations to date, engaging the spontaneous nature of a younger audience and introducing a new generation of audiences to the venues.
Since being launched in New York City in December 2013 by life-long friends and Broadway producers Merritt Baer and Brian Fenty, TodayTix has engaged more than five million users to connect beyond ticketing into new cultural experiences that bring human interaction back to our digital world.
In London, TodayTix has quickly grown from its launch in June 2015 to sell over one million tickets annually. In addition to selling tickets for the majority of West End titles, they also run access programmes for more than 20 productions, enabling a new generation of theatre goers to experience these shows.
