Ticketmaster buys Front Gate Tickets
Ticketmaster acquires Austin-based company for undisclosed sum.
Front Gate Tickets was founded in Austin in 2003 as an alternative to Ticketmaster.
Austin-based Front Gate Tickets was one of two companies acquired this week by Ticketmaster.
The entertainment giant is also buying Universe, which specializes in do-it-yourself ticketing.
Financial terms of the two deals weren’t disclosed.
Front Gate was founded in 2003 as an alternative to big ticket companies such as Ticketmaster, its new owner. It handles ticketing for several well-known Austin venues, such as Austin Music Hall, Emo’s, Empire Control Room, the Parish and Stubb’s, but festivals are where the company has seen much of its growth in recent years.
In 2014, Front Gate shipped more than 1 million wristbands, sold more than 3 million tickets and processed over $300 million in sales, Ticketmaster said.
Front Gate’s festival experience was especially appealing to Ticketmaster, executives said.
“Front Gate and Universe have built innovative platforms for their respective verticals, and com-
bined with Ticketmaster’s marketing and distribution capabilities we will be able to deliver the best experience for even more fans and artists,” said Michael Rapino, president and CEO of Live Nation Entertainment, Ticketmaster’s owner. “The companies continue to build on our commitment to provide the best solution for each segment of the ticketing landscape, combining the specific needs for each occasion with the power of our global marketplace.”
Live Nation last year acquired a majority interest in another Austin company, C3 Presents. Like Front Gate, C3 Presents also has a wealth of experience with festivals, including staging the annual Austin City Limits Music Festival.
“We are dedicated to maintaining Front Gate’s fan-focused philosophy and targeted festival-specific functionality,” said Jared Smith, president of Ticketmaster North America. “Universe’s advanced DIY ticketing and event marketing platform will not only provide event organizers with amazing tools to manage their events, but their plug-and-play distributed commerce and analytics products will also benefit clients across the entire Ticketmaster portfolio, including festivals.”