Ari Emanuel’s MARI Acquires Digital Ticketer TodayTix

MARI, Ari Emanuel’s global events company, has bolstered its portfolio by acquiring company TodayTix Group, a digital platform that sells tickets to Broadway and West End shows and other live events.

Emanuel, a longtime agent turned entertainment mogul, launched the holding company MARI earlier this month after acquiring IMG’s portfolio of international tennis events and renowned art fair Frieze.

The addition of TodayTix, which was founded in 2013, gives MARI the “technology engine” in establishing the company as a global leader in the live entertainment space, according to The Hollywood Reporter. With headquarters in New York and London, TodayTix Group has expanded over the years to sell tickets for thousands of theaters and performing arts centers across the globe, including Australia.

“With TodayTix, we’re adding a technology engine and a direct line to audiences that makes our portfolio even more powerful. Along sport, art, and lifestyle, theatre and immersive performance now sit at the core of what we do — expanding our reach and deepening how we connect people with defining live experiences,” Emanuel, who also serves as CEO of Endeavor, told THR.

Brian Fenty, co-founder and CEO of TodayTix Group, will continue to serve as CEO of the ticketing company and join MARI’s leadership team, and co-founder Merritt Baer, who is artistic director of Secret Cinema, will also stay with the company.

“Over the past decade, we’ve built a platform that audiences lean on, theatres trust, and producers depend upon,” Fenty told THR. “We’ve always believed the future of live entertainment would be shaped by elevated, singular experiences amplified with technology that removes friction and elevates the hospitality experience throughout. MARI shares that belief and the ambition to scale at pace. Together, we will elevate user experience, empower creators, and redefine the event-level offering in ways the world hasn’t yet seen, with purpose-built AI for the future of events.”

Emanuel, 64, runs MARI with Mark Shapiro, who also worked at Endeavor. Emanuel is a titan in the entertainment industry, with his net worth skyrocketing after Endeavor acquired a controlling stake in TKO Group Holdings, which owns the Ultimate Fighting Championship and World Wrestling Entertainment. He previously served on the board of Live Nation, is currently executive chairman of WME Group and was officially deemed a billionaire by Bloomberg in February.