Ari Emanuel’s live events company MARI has acquired the global theater ticketing platform TodayTix, adding one of Broadway and the West End’s most prominent digital marketplaces to its growing roster of live entertainment assets.
The acquisition — from private equity firm Great Hill Partners — brings MARI further into the live entertainment ecosystem, which already includes events such as the Miami Open presented by Itaú, Mutua Madrid Open, Frieze, and Barrett-Jackson. Emanuel described the move as integrating a “technology engine” into MARI’s operations, enhancing its ability to reach audiences directly.
“This is the next step in building MARI as a global leader in live experiences,” Emanuel said in the announcement. “With TodayTix, we’re adding a technology engine and a direct line to audiences that makes our portfolio even more powerful. Alongside 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.”
Founded in 2013, TodayTix Group (TTG) has become a leading digital ticketing platform for theater and cultural events, known for simplifying access to Broadway, Off-Broadway, and West End performances through mobile-first technology. The company has also expanded into immersive events, including Secret Cinema, which stages large-scale interactive film experiences.
Following the acquisition, Brian Fenty, co-founder and CEO of TodayTix Group, will remain in his role and join MARI’s executive leadership team. Co-founder Merritt Baer will continue as artistic director and producer at Secret Cinema.
“Over the past decade, we’ve built a platform that audiences lean on, theatres trust, and producers depend upon,” Fenty said. “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,” Fenty continued. “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.”
Advising on the transaction were Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP for MARI; Moelis & Company LLC and LionTree Advisors LLC as financial advisors, and Paul Hastings LLP as legal counsel for TodayTix Group and Great Hill Partners.
