Seated Founders Reacquire Ticketing Company From Sofar Sounds

Seated, an artist-focused ticketing platform that has picked up steam since forming eight years ago, has been reacquired by its original founders four years after its acquisition by Sofar Sounds.

Those founders are John Griffin and David McKay, who will lead the company’s return to independence as CEO.  

“It’s a full-circle moment – and one we don’t take for granted.” said McKay in a blog post to announce the transaction. The company has gained traction as a way to give artists more control over ticketing, namely onsales and waitlists, with artists like Brandi Carlile, John Legend, Nathaniel Rateliff and Anderson .Paak using Seated for direct-to-fan presale tickets, and artists including Noah Kahan, Shawn Mendes and Goose using Seated to sell all primary tickets for select shows, the announcement says. 

“When we first launched Seated in 2017, our mission was simple… give artists more control over their ticketing experience,” McKay continues.  “At the time, it felt like a radical idea to pause and identify the real fans before tickets went on sale, to use tools like SMS verification to give fans early access, and to allow artists to capture all that data for themselves.” McKay tells Pollstar that he and Griffin now own Seated fully, with no outside investors, “and it feels magical.”

Sofar’s decision to sell Seated back to its founders is a reflection of the natural evolution that both companies are undergoing, the announcement states.

“Seated has achieved remarkable growth under Sofar Sounds’ ownership these last four years, becoming a vital partner to some of the biggest artists in the world,” said Warren Webster, Sofar CEO. “We’re proud to have been part of that story, and as Sofar focuses on the increasing demand in our communities for live experiences, we’re thrilled that Seated will continue to grow with its founders at the helm.”

“Buying Seated back gives us the freedom to move faster, take creative risks, and focus solely on what artists need most right now,” McKay writes.  “This acquisition is about refocusing and doubling down on what we do best – building great tools for artists to sell tickets directly and grow deeper relationships with their fans.”