Christopher BarrettKilimanjaro Live and Gigantic Tickets-owner Deutsche Entertainment AG (DEAG) said it will acquire a 75% stake in Danish family event promoter and producer CSB Island Entertainment and is actively looking to acquire UK businesses.
The move will significantly strengthen the company’s involvement in the family entertainment show sector, with it already owning the UK’s Flying Music – the company behind an array of hit touring shows including Thriller Live.
CSB was founded in 1994 by CEO Carsten Svoldgaard. From its base on the tiny island of Fanø, off the coast of southwestern Denmark, it has worked with numerous touring acts including Kylie Minogue and Sir Elton John. It’s primary focus is on producing and promoting family entertainment shows such as The Greatest Love of All – The Whitney Houston Show and The Show – A Tribute to ABBA.
Svoldgaard will continue to oversee CSB, which is the Berlin-based pan-European promoter, venue operator and ticketing conglomerate’s first acquisition since it was announced the company had accepted a takeover bid by the Apeiron Investment Group earlier this month.
“We are convinced there are numerous opportunities within the UK market.”
The deal will see DEAG delisted from the Frankfurt Stock Exchange after 23 years. At the time, CEO Peter Schwenkow said the move would give the company greater resources with which to make acquisitions.
DEAG international business affairs CMO Detlef Kornett (pictured) told Access that the motivation behind the CSB acquisition was twofold: “To increase our presence and activities in the Nordics, starting from Denmark, and secondly to strengthen our family entertainment segment as we find it predictable and interesting commercially.
“Many of the productions CSB has worldwide rights to are not presented in all of our markets, Switzerland for example or the UK. The deal will lead to new synergies within the group. Flying Music Group is in the same segment but with productions we tour worldwide – we did 32 countries with Thriller Live alone.”
Among DEAG’s other UK interests are MyTicket.co.uk and Scotland’s 16,500-capacity Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival. Asked if DEAG had ambitions to grow its UK reach, Detlef said it was very much part of the company’s ongoing ambition.
He said, “We are actively exploring and evaluating our options. We are convinced there are numerous opportunities within the UK market and as the pandemic subsides, we will see opportunities where we could be of help or that we can take advantage of.”