‘The UK Remains A Very Dynamic & Exciting Market’: Q’s With Rob Wilmshurst, Group CEO, Eventim UK & See Tickets

Rob Wilmshurst, co-founder and long-standing CEO of See Tickets UK, assumed responsibility for all ticketing activities of the CTS Eventim Group in the UK in September 2024. CTS Eventim had acquired See Tickets as part of the acquisition of Vivendi’s live entertainment business earlier that year. The company operates in the UK under the brands See Tickets and Eventim UK.

For our annual UK Focus, we reached out to Wilmshurst to talk about the state of play in the market, and whether anything’s changed in his day-to-day, since joining the CTS Eventim world.

How’s business in the UK? How many tickets do you sell annually, and how has that increased since integrating See Tickets?
The UK remains a very dynamic and exciting market for us. We’re seeing strong momentum across many sectors, and the integration of See Tickets into the CTS Eventim Group has certainly helped accelerate that. While we don’t disclose ticket volumes, I can say we’re very pleased with how things are progressing and with the early results of bringing our teams and technologies closer together. We’re confident that this sets us up very well for continued success and long-term growth in the UK.

What’s your view on (1) the current UK government consultation on ticket resale, and (2) the ticket levy on arena and stadium shows intended to help out the grassroots sector?
We welcome any well-considered initiative that aims to make the ticketing market more transparent and fairer for fans. That said, it’s essential that any regulation is workable and doesn’t place unnecessary burdens on promoters or legitimate businesses. As for the ticket levy, supporting grassroots venues is clearly important, but decisions on pricing and funding mechanisms ultimately lie with promoters.

If you look at the event spectrum: what’s your view on ticket prices in the UK? Is there room to increase them, or is a ceiling being reached? What about premium tickets for VIP offers etc.? Those tickets just seem to be flying out…
All aspects of pricing ultimately fall under the responsibility of promoters. We’re seeing a growing active demand among audience segments to pay for enhanced experiences — and that’s where premium and VIP offers really come into play. At the same time, promoters are facing significantly increased costs across the board, from production to staffing to logistics. Creating additional offers with genuine added value for fans will make an important contribution to keeping base prices stable and accessible.

How would you sum up CTS Eventim’s business strategy for its UK ticketing operations?
Our strategy is clear: build a strong alternative platform for both clients and fans. With the integration of See Tickets, we’re combining two highly capable teams and technologies to offer even better service, more innovation, and more reach. At the same time, we’re focused on quality, on growing sustainably, and on helping our partners succeed – whether they’re in music, live entertainment, attractions, or beyond.

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