SPAIN (CelebrityAccess) Spanish promoter Neo Sala has sold a majority stake of his promotion company, Doctor Music, and ticketing company, Entradas.com, to Munich-based CTS Eventim.
Ticketing giant CTS Eventim, which has bought four Italian entities since September, has acquired a 63.5 percent stake in Doctor Music, according to IQ Magazine, and its subsidiaries Big Tours and In Cow We Trust along with Entradas.com, for an undisclosed sum. Entradas.com is Spain’s second-largest ticketing platform after Ticketmaster, according to International TIcketing Yearbook 2017. The purchase means Eventim has a live footprint in 10 countries, including Italy, Austria and Sweden, according to Billboard.
Sala founded Doctor Music in 1982 and has since promoted Spain performances by acts like U2, Prince, The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, Michael Jackson, Adele, and Radiohead, according to IQ.
Doctor Music owns properties Lanxess Arena in Cologne, Waldbuhne in Berlin, and Eventim Apollo in London, among others, according to Billboard. Sala is expected to remain CEO of the company. Upcoming shows include Bruno Mars, Katy Perry and Shawn Mendes.
“The Spanish market has shown encouraging growth in recent years and is one of the most important destinations for artists from across the world,” CTS Eventim CEO Klaus-Peter Schulenberg said in a statement. “In the future, we will be able to offer them not only efficient ticketing, but also a range of tour options. With its international portfolio of artists and inventory strengths, Doctor Music is the ideal partner for this advance.”
Sala added: “We were one of the first concert promoters to bring the greatest pop and rock stars to Spain, 35 years ago. Since then, Doctor Music has worked tirelessly to put Spain on the international rock and pop stage. This partnership is a huge leap forward for my team and myself, allowing us to tap the resources and the network of a global player to offer both artists and fans the best services for an unforgettable live experience.”
Doctor Music said last year it is reviving Northern Spain’s Doctor Music Festival after a 20-year hiatus. The Festival of the Cow, also known as the Woodstock of the Pyrenees, is expected to return next summer at its original location of Escalarre, according to Billboard.
