Etix Founder Gets Hopscotch

Etix founder Travis Janovich has acquired Hopscotch Music Festival in Raleigh, N.C., for an undisclosed sum, providing the fest with “stability and longer-term direction,” according to Hopscotch founder Greg Lowenhagen.

Etix has provided Hopscotch ticketing services since the fest’s 2010 debut. Etix director of sales Paul Laughter is also taking a small stake in the new company that will put on the festival, which reportedly drew some 20,000 fans to Raleigh in 2014.

The new ownership is called Hopscotch Presents, and is located at Etix’s Morrisville, N.C., address, according to the Triangle Business Journal.

Lowenhagen maintains a stake in the festival and will continue to serve as its director.

“As Travis and Paul learn more about the business this year, I will continue to make sure we reach our goals in terms of fan experience, bands we book and sponsor relationships we foster,” he told the Business Journal. “We don’t expect much to change in 2015 – our goal collectively is always to figure out how to keep the festival fun and artist-friendly while achieving sustainability as a business.”

Hopscotch returns to downtown Raleigh Sept. 10-12, with its lineup to be announced in April.