MARI, the new global events and experiences company founded by Ariel Emanuel, today announced its acquisition of TodayTix Group (TTG, or the Company), the leading mobile and digital ticketing company for live cultural experiences and the performing arts, from Great Hill Partners, a private equity firm that invests in high-growth, disruptive companies. The acquisition complements MARI’s portfolio – which already includes the Miami Open presented by Itaú and Mutua Madrid Open, Frieze, and Barrett-Jackson – by introducing market-leading ticketing technology and strengthening its connection to theatre and live performance.
With more than 20 million members across the U.S., U.K., and Australia, TodayTix Group has become synonymous with seamless access to live entertainment. Named App of the Day by Apple and recognized by Fast Company as one of the World’s Most Innovative Companies, TTG has reimagined how people discover and experience theatre and performance. Through its suite of brands, including TodayTix, Secret Cinema, LondonTheatre, and Show-Score, the Company has established itself as both a consumer destination and a trusted partner to more than 10,000 theatres, producers, and cultural institutions worldwide.
TodayTix Group will bring its award-winning technology, AI-driven personalization, and data science capabilities to MARI’s growing collection of global events, alongside its extensive partner network. The addition of TTG will enable MARI to redefine the event lifecycle – from discovery to purchase to post-event engagement – while giving partners and creators new tools to unlock insight and demand. Brian Fenty, Co-Founder and CEO of TodayTix Group, will remain CEO of the Company with an expanded remit across the portfolio, and will also join MARI’s executive leadership team. Co-Founder Merritt Baer will continue as Artistic Director and Producer at Secret Cinema.
MARI is led by Ariel Emanuel, Founder and Principal Investor, together with Mark Shapiro, Principal Investor and Board Member. The Company’s executive leadership team includes Matt Cohn as Managing Partner and Ben Enowitz as Chief Financial Officer, who oversee MARI’s portfolio of live events and drive growth across sport, art, lifestyle, and entertainment.
“This is the next step in building MARI as a global leader in live experiences,” said Ariel Emanuel. “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.”
“TodayTix was born to democratize access to culture,” said Brian Fenty. “Over the past decade, we’ve built a platform that audiences lean on, theatres trust, and producers depend upon. 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. We are thrilled to join the MARI family and brand, and are equally appreciative to the Great Hill Partners team, who have provided incredible support, resources, and value creation over the course of their six-year investment that enabled the Company to achieve incredible growth and momentum.”
“We have enjoyed a fantastic partnership with TodayTix,” said Michael Kumin, Managing Director at Great Hill Partners. “Since investing in 2019, the Company has shown impressive resiliency while successfully executing numerous organic and inorganic growth initiatives. We would like to thank Brian, Merritt, and the TodayTix team, and are confident that the Company will continue to prosper as part of the MARI platform.”
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP served as legal counsel to MARI. Moelis & Company LLC and LionTree Advisors LLC served as financial advisors and Paul Hastings LLP served as legal counsel to TodayTix Group and Great Hill Partners.
About MARI
MARI is a global events and experiences company with a portfolio of premium live properties across sports, art, lifestyle, and entertainment. These include the Madrid and Miami Open tennis tournaments and Frieze, a leading voice in contemporary art, as well as Barrett-Jackson, the premium U.S. collector car auction company. MARI delivers unforgettable live experiences that connect people, inspire audiences, and shape culture.
About TodayTix Group
TodayTix Group is the global e-commerce leader for cultural experiences. TodayTix Group designs frictionless e-commerce experiences via innovative product design and industry-leading technology. Through its powerful consumer matchmaking technology and expansive portfolio of brands, including TodayTix, Secret Cinema, and Show-Score, TodayTix Group has an intimate understanding of its millions of customers, allowing TodayTix Group to optimize partner relationships by providing unparalleled access to engaged audiences, generating meaningful revenue, and transforming the way tickets are sold. And with an ever-expanding global network of more than 10,000 theatres, producers, and cultural institutions, frictionless technology, and vast data and insights, TodayTix Group is at the forefront of the digital transformation of culture. To learn more, visit www.todaytixgroup.com.
About Great Hill Partners
Founded in 1998, Great Hill Partners is a private equity firm targeting investments of $100 million to $750 million in high-growth companies across the software, financial services, healthcare, consumer, and business services sectors. With offices in Boston and London, Great Hill has raised funds with over $19 billion in commitments and invested in more than 100 companies since 1998, establishing an extensive track record of building long-term partnerships with entrepreneurs and providing flexible resources to help middle-market companies scale. Great Hill has been recognized for its industry leadership, ranking in the top five of HEC Paris-Dow Jones' Mid-Market and Large Buyout Performance Ranking lists consecutively for the four most recent years published (2021–2024). For more information, including a list of all Great Hill investments, please visit www.greathillpartners.com.
Disclaimer: Great Hill Partners did not provide any compensation to HEC Paris-Dow Jones to be considered for any of these rankings.
