SeatGeek Reports Record Revenue; RedBall SPAC Merger Closing in Q2 

SeatGeek announced record revenues for Q4 of 2021, showing $82.5 million in net revenue on the quarter – more than 17 times the comparable figure from Q4 2020 and up more than 30 percent from the $56.8 million reported in Q3 2021. For the full year, the company reported $186.3 million in net revenue, 5.5 times the number from the COVID-ravaged 2020 year, and up close to 24 percent over 2019. The ticket resale platform and growing primary ticketing business also reported that its merger with RedBall Acquisition Corp (NYSE: RBAC) to bring the ticketing company public is on track and expected to close in the second quarter of 2022.

“Our strong results in the fourth quarter, which capped a record 2021, showed the resilience of our business model and fulfilled the strategic initiatives made over the past two years. We’re seeing significant momentum in both the primary and secondary markets, leading to strong market share growth driven by our innovative ticketing and consumer experience technology. We’ve navigated through the pandemic with focus and precision, and have an eye toward the future for SeatGeek and all of our customers – fans, teams, and venues alike,” said Jack Groetzinger, CEO and co-founder.

“Looking to the year ahead, we’ll be increasing our investments in our enterprise clients. When we exceed the expectations of our partners, it gives them the opportunity to exceed expectations for their fans and create value for all stakeholders,” concluded Groetzinger.

The full release from SeatGeek is included below:

SeatGeek Announces Record Fourth Quarter and Fiscal 2021 Financial Results

NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–SeatGeek, the technology platform that is transforming the live-event experience for fans, teams, and venues, today announced record financial results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year ended December 31, 2021.

As previously announced, SeatGeek entered into a Business Combination Agreement with RedBall Acquisition Corp. (“RedBall”), a publicly traded special purpose acquisition company (NYSE:RBAC).

Key Financial Results
$ Million	For the Three Months Ended
	December 31, 2021	September 30, 2021	December 31, 2020
Net revenue	$82.5	$56.8	$4.8
Gross profit	47.6	35.4	(3.6)
Contribution Margin3	6.8	4.9	(8.6)
Loss from operations	(16.9)	(17.9)	(21.6)
Net loss	(18.1)	(19.8)	(21.5)
Adjusted EBITDA3	(11.3)	(12.1)	(17.2)

$ Million	For the Twelve Months Ended
	December 31, 2021	December 31, 2020	December 31, 2019
Net revenue	$186.3	$33.2	$142.2
Gross profit	105.4	(5.3)	83.9
Contribution Margin3	5.2	(45.9)	10.0
Loss from operations	(73.2)	(92.6)	(45.8)
Net loss	(80.0)	(96.9)	(45.0)
Adjusted EBITDA3	(51.8)	(78.7)	(35.0)

“Our strong results in the fourth quarter, which capped a record 2021, showed the resilience of our business model and fulfilled the strategic initiatives made over the past two years. We’re seeing significant momentum in both the primary and secondary markets, leading to strong market share growth driven by our innovative ticketing and consumer experience technology. We’ve navigated through the pandemic with focus and precision, and have an eye toward the future for SeatGeek and all of our customers – fans, teams, and venues alike,” said Jack Groetzinger, CEO and co-founder.

“Looking to the year ahead, we’ll be increasing our investments in our enterprise clients. When we exceed the expectations of our partners, it gives them the opportunity to exceed expectations for their fans and create value for all stakeholders,” concluded Groetzinger.

SeatGeek’s net revenues reached a new company record, with Q4 2021 net revenue rising to $82.5 million, up approximately 45% from $56.8 million in Q3 2021 and versus $4.8 million in Q4 2020, when most live events were suspended or cancelled due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. Growth was driven not only by the ebbing effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, but also by the company’s ongoing success attracting major venues and teams to SeatGeek’s primary ticketing enterprise platform, and the continued expansion of SeatGeek’s secondary ticketing revenue and market share.

Gross profit of $47.6 million in Q4 2021 was also a company record, up approximately 34% from $35.4 million in Q3 2021. Contribution Margin, defined by the company as gross profit less sales and marketing expense, was $6.8 million in Q4 2021, compared to $4.9 million in Q3 2021, as a result of increased sales and marketing expenses in markets with recently signed enterprise partnerships. Loss from operations for the quarter was ($16.9) million versus ($17.9) million in Q3 2021 and ($21.6) million in Q4 2020. Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter was a loss of ($11.3) million, versus ($17.2) million in Q4 2020, also reflecting continued increases in R&D personnel investment intended to accelerate the company’s momentum and competitive differentiation.

Brad Tacy, SeatGeek CFO, added, “Our financial performance in Q4 reflected record revenue and gross profit growth compared to Q3, which we believe illustrates the effectiveness of our vertically integrated strategy and allows us to capture greater share in primary and secondary ticket markets and better economics for our enterprise customers. We believe that our investments in technology, sales, and marketing are positioning us for long-term sustainable and profitable growth.”

The proposed business combination between SeatGeek and RedBall is currently expected to close in the second quarter of 2022, subject to the approval of RedBall’s shareholders and other customary closing conditions.

About SeatGeek
SeatGeek is on a mission to transform the live-event experience for fans, teams and venues. By combining a superior marketplace with unparalleled primary ticketing box office technology, SeatGeek has become a global ticketing leader. SeatGeek delights fans through industry-first features including: Deal Score, its proprietary ticket rating technology; Rally, its event-day operating system; and SeatGeek Swaps, the first return policy offered by a major ticketer. In parallel, its open-ecosystem enterprise ticketing software empowers teams, venues and promoters to efficiently grow their businesses while delivering the superior experience that die-hard fans deserve.

SeatGeek is proud to partner with some of the most recognized names in sports and live entertainment across the globe including the Dallas Cowboys, Brooklyn Nets and Liverpool F.C., as well as Major League Soccer (MLS), National Football League (NFL), half of the English Premier League (EPL) and multiple theaters across NYC’s Broadway and London’s West End. Curious? Visit www.seatgeek.com.

About RedBall Acquisition Corp.
RedBall Acquisition Corp.(NYSE: RBAC) is a blank-check company incorporated as a Cayman Islands exempted company and formed for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses with a focus on businesses in the sports, media and data analytics sectors, in particular professional sports franchises, which complement RedBall management team’s expertise and benefits from its strategic and hands-on operational leadership. RedBall’s management team represents a unique combination of operating, investing, financial and transactional experience. RedBall’s sponsor, RedBall SponsorCo LP, is an affiliate of RedBird Capital Partners.

No Offer or Solicitation
This press release does not constitute (i) a solicitation of a proxy, consent or authorization with respect to any securities or in respect of the proposed business combination or (ii) an offer to sell, a solicitation of an offer to buy, or a recommendation to purchase any security of RedBall, SeatGeek or any of their respective affiliates.

Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements included in this press release constitute forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions under the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements generally are accompanied by words such as “believe,” “may,” “will,” “estimate,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “expect,” “should,” “would,” “plan,” “predict,” “potential,” “seem,” “seek,” “future,” “outlook,” and similar expressions that predict or indicate future events or trends or that are not statements of historical matters. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the proposed business combination and expectations regarding the combined business, including the anticipated timing for closing, SeatGeek’s expected investments in its enterprise business, the impact of investments in technology, sales, and marketing and SeatGeek’s ability to achieve long-term sustainable and profitable growth. These statements are based on various assumptions, whether or not identified in this press release, and on the current expectations of the respective management of SeatGeek and RedBall and are not predictions of actual performance. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, conditions or results, and involve a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other important factors, many of which are outside the control of SeatGeek and RedBall. These forward-looking statements are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to serve as, and must not be relied on by an investor as, a guarantee, an assurance, a prediction or a definitive statement of fact or probability. Actual events and circumstances are difficult or impossible to predict and will differ from assumptions. Many actual events and circumstances are beyond the control of SeatGeek and RedBall. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic; changes in domestic and foreign business, market, financial, political, and legal conditions; the inability of the parties to successfully or timely consummate the proposed business combination, including the risk that the approval of the shareholders of RedBall or SeatGeek is not obtained or the failure of other closing conditions; the risk that any regulatory approvals are not obtained, are delayed or are subject to unanticipated conditions that could adversely affect the combined company or the expected benefits of the proposed business combination; failure to realize the anticipated benefits of the proposed business combination; the inability to obtain or maintain the listing of RedBall’s shares on the NYSE following the business combination; costs related to the business combination; the risk that the business combination disrupts current plans and operations as a result of the announcement and consummation of the business combination; risks relating to the uncertainty of the projected financial information with respect to SeatGeek; risks related to the performance of SeatGeek’s business and the timing of expected business or revenue milestones; the effects of competition on SeatGeek’s business; the amount of redemption requests made by RedBall’s stockholders; the ability of RedBall or SeatGeek to issue equity or equity-linked securities or obtain debt financing in connection with the proposed business combination or in the future; and those risks and uncertainties set forth under the headings “Risk Factors” and “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” in the registration statement on Form S-4 and proxy statement/prospectus discussed below and other documents filed by RedBall from time to time with the SEC. If any of these risks materialize or our assumptions prove incorrect, actual results could differ materially from the results implied by these forward-looking statements. There may be additional risks that neither RedBall nor SeatGeek presently know, or that RedBall or SeatGeek currently believe are immaterial, that could also cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. In addition, forward-looking statements reflect RedBall’s and SeatGeek’s expectations, plans, or forecasts of future events and views as of the date of this press release. RedBall and SeatGeek anticipate that subsequent events and developments will cause RedBall’s and SeatGeek’s assessments to change. Nothing in this press release should be regarded as a representation by any person that the forward-looking statements set forth herein will be achieved or that any of the contemplated results of such forward-looking statements will be achieved. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. RedBall and SeatGeek do not undertake any obligation to update these forward-looking statements and RedBall and SeatGeek specifically disclaim any obligation to do so.

Important Additional Information and Where to Find It
RedBall has filed a registration statement on Form S-4 (“Registration Statement”) with the SEC, which includes a proxy statement/prospectus of RedBall, that will be both the proxy statement to be distributed to holders of RedBall’s ordinary shares in connection with its solicitation of proxies for the vote by RedBall’s shareholders with respect to the proposed business combination and other matters as may be described in the Registration Statement, as well as the prospectus relating to the offer of the securities to be issued in the business combination to SeatGeek stockholders. After the Registration Statement is declared effective, RedBall will mail a definitive proxy statement/prospectus to the shareholders of RedBall as of a record date to be established for voting on the proposed business combination. This press release does not contain all the information that should be considered concerning the proposed business combination and is not intended to form the basis of any investment decision or any other decision with respect to the business combination. Before making any voting or investment decision, investors and security holders of RedBall and other interested persons are urged to carefully read the entire Registration Statement, the preliminary proxy statement/prospectus and the definitive proxy statement/prospectus, when they each become available, and any other relevant documents filed with the SEC, as well as any amendments or supplements to these documents, because they will contain important information about the proposed business combination. The documents filed by RedBall with the SEC may be obtained free of charge at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. In addition, the documents filed by RedBall may be obtained free of charge from RedBall at www.redballac.com. Alternatively, these documents, when available, can be obtained free of charge from RedBall upon written request to RedBall Acquisition Corp., 667 Madison Avenue, 16th Floor, New York, NY 10065. The information contained on, or that may be accessed through, the websites referenced in this press release is not incorporated by reference into, and is not a part of, this press release.

Participants in the Solicitation
RedBall and its directors and executive officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the shareholders of RedBall with respect to the proposed business combination. For information regarding RedBall’s directors and executive officers and a description of their interests in RedBall, please see Redball’s final prospectus related to its initial public offering filed with the SEC on August 13, 2020 and available free of charge at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. To the extent such holdings of RedBall’s securities may have changed since that time, such changes have been or will be reflected on Statements of Change in Ownership on Form 4 filed with the SEC. Additional information regarding the interests of those participants and other persons who may be deemed participants in the transaction may be obtained by reading the Registration Statement and proxy statement/prospectus and other relevant documents when they become available. SeatGeek and its directors and executive officers may also be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the shareholders of RedBall in connection with the proposed business combination. A list of the names of such directors and executive officers and information regarding their interests in the proposed business combination will be included in the Registration Statement and proxy statement/prospectus for the proposed business combination when available.

Use of Non-GAAP Measures
Contribution margin is a supplemental measure of operating performance monitored by management that is not defined under GAAP and that does not represent, and should not be considered as, an alternative to gross profit, as determined by GAAP. We define Contribution Margin as gross profit less sales and marketing expense. We use Contribution Margin to understand and evaluate the efficacy of our demand-side spend.

Adjusted EBITDA is a supplemental measure of operating performance monitored by management that is not defined under GAAP and that does not represent, and should not be considered as, an alternative to net loss, as determined by GAAP. We define Adjusted EBITDA as loss from operations, adjusted for depreciation and amortization, equity-based compensation expense and transaction and public readiness costs. We use Adjusted EBITDA to understand and evaluate our core operating performance and trends.

We use Contribution Margin and Adjusted EBITDA in conjunction with GAAP measures as part of our overall assessment of our performance, including the preparation of our annual operating budget and quarterly forecasts, to evaluate the effectiveness of our business strategies, including assessing the efficacy of our marketing spend, and to communicate with our board of directors concerning our financial performance. We believe our non-GAAP measures are also helpful to investors, analysts and other interested parties because they can assist in providing a more consistent and comparable overview of our operations across our historical financial periods. Our non-GAAP measures have limitations as analytical tools, and you should not consider them in isolation or as a substitute for analysis of our results as reported under GAAP. Because of these limitations, you should consider our non-GAAP measures alongside other financial performance measures, including gross margin, loss from operations and our other GAAP results. In evaluating our non-GAAP measures, you should be aware that in the future, we may incur expenses that are the same as or similar to some of the adjustments in this presentation. Our presentation of non-GAAP measures should not be construed as an inference that our future results will be unaffected by the types of items excluded from the calculation of our non-GAAP measures. Our non-GAAP measures are not a presentation made in accordance with GAAP and the use of the terms varies from others in our industry.

A reconciliation of Contribution Margin to gross profit, the most directly comparable GAAP measure, is as follows:

A reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to loss from operations, the most directly comparable GAAP measure, is as follows: