The music ticket platform DICE is looking to expand globally.
DICE, dubbed the world’s largest independent ticketing platform, raised a $65 million funding round led by the investment company MUSIC — co-founded by Matt Pincus and LionTree. Amid the funding, Pincus will also join the board of directors at DICE. Other investors include Ahdritz Holding LLC, Structural Capital, Exor Ventures, and Mirabaud Lifestyle Fund.
“DICE did the impossible: They made buying a ticket fun,” Pincus said in a press release. “And by doing that, they became much more than a transaction provider. DICE is the premier user-centric engagement platform for the most important consumers in music: people who love to go to shows.”
DICE will use the funding to help accelerate its launch in new cities, expanding not only across the U.S., but globally. The company is ready to launch in Austin, Texas in the coming weeks, and its expansion follows landmark deals in Europe, including the historic Alexandra Palace.
As of this year, DICE shared that over 55,000 artists and over 10,000 venues are using DICE to sell their tickets in 30 different cities. DICE uses a “fan-first” ticketing model, aimed to ensure transparent pricing. Their app locks tickets to smartphones, “keeping tickets in the hands of fans.”
DICE CEO and Founder Phil Hutcheon even visited President Biden at the White House to show how the platform uses fair ticket pricing to protect fans.
“The live music industry is adopting DICE faster than ever and proves our thesis that if you treat fans well, they buy more tickets, and go out more often,” Hutcheon said in the release. “We’re investing heavily in building even more technology and this year alone we released over 60 new features for fans, venues and artists. I’m excited that Matt (Pincus) has joined the Board and we’re more focused than ever on our mission to get fans out more.”
Read TicketNews’ interview with DICE here.