Ticketmaster, the US-based, world-biggest ticket marketplace, on Wednesday announced the acquisition of a South African Quicket, described as “a major player in Africa’s general admission event and festival ticketing,” for an undisclosed sum to increase its footprint in Africa.
Founded in the 1970s, the US-based Ticketmaster is a pioneer in the ticketing industry. It developed early software for digital ticketing systems. The company now has a huge footprint, operating in over 35 regions across the world.
Quicket, which was founded in South Africa in 2011 by James Tagg, Mike Kennedy, and James Hedley, who were partners in a web development business in Cape Town, is known for its self-service platform and event organizer tools. Since then, the company has expanded beyond the country to include Nigeria, Uganda, Kenya, Zambia, and Botswana.
Commenting on the deal, Ticketmaster president Mark Yovich said, “Africa is home to some of the most passionate fans in the world, and we have the privilege of connecting them to the events they love simply and securely. Our commitment to delivering top-tier tools for promoters, venues, and artists is unwavering. Partnering with Quicket will supercharge our mission to elevate Africa’s dynamic live events to the global spotlight they truly deserve. Together, we are igniting a new era of unparalleled growth for African entertainment.”
“The passion for live entertainment is at the heart of African culture,” said Tagg in a statement. “Over the past 13 years, we’ve empowered event creators across the continent to deliver exceptional experiences through our ticketing platform. Partnering with Ticketmaster marks a landmark moment in connecting African artists to a global audience and enhancing the experience for local fans and promoters alike.”
With the acquisition, Ticketmaster, which launched a designated site in South Africa in 2022, says African venues, artists, and promoters will benefit from its global reach, working in tandem with Quicket’s regional expertise. The ticketing giant adds that the deal will enable the expansion of digital technologies, including secure encrypted mobile tickets, on the continent. Meanwhile, the new alliance will see Quicker slot it out with Eventbrite, which recently announced a partnership with TikTok to enable content creators to promote their events and sell tickets on the video content app.
While Quicket, under the leadership of Quicket MD James Tagg, will continue to operate as a standalone business unit from Cape Town, Ticketmaster said that the partnership would allow event organizers and customers to benefit from Quicket’s local expertise on the continent and Ticketmaster’s global reach.
Meanwhile, back home, Ticketmaster and its parent company, Live Nation Entertainment (LNE), are currently under fire from the US authorities. The US Department of Justice filed a suit against the companies in May, alleging that LNE “unlawfully exercises its monopoly power” in the live concert ecosystem in violation of competition rules. Among the relief being sought by the Department of Justice is the forced sale of Ticketmaster by LNE.
The company is also facing scrutiny over its cybersecurity practices after it admitted to “unauthorized activity” on its database last month. This comes after a group of hackers posted the personal information of 560 million customers online.
Ticketmaster has also been under pressure from Swifties in recent years, with its site crashing in the past from people attempting to secure tickets for the Taylor Swift Eras Tour.
