Mari, the global events and experiences company backed by Ari Emanuel, has entered a definitive agreement to acquire ATG Entertainment, the owner and operator of dozens of theatres on the West End and Broadway and across Europe. The financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The deal remains subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions, and both companies will continue to operate independently until it completes.
Scale of ATG’s footprint
ATG runs a portfolio of approximately 70 venues in the United Kingdom, the United States, Germany and Spain, including ten London West End theatres and seven on Broadway. Combined, its sites host over 16,000 performances annually and welcome in excess of 18 million audience members each year. The company also produces and co-produces shows for both the West End and Broadway and operates an extensive network of regional theatres.
“I’ve spent my whole career in entertainment, and I started out in theatre. I’ve seen the industry reinvent itself many times, but live has only grown more powerful,”
Ari Emanuel, founder and principal investor of Mari, framed the acquisition as a strategic, long-term bet on live performance: connecting artists and audiences remains central to the business model, he said.
What Mari brings and what it promises
Mari already runs a varied global portfolio spanning sports, art, entertainment and lifestyle. In the United Kingdom its properties include established attractions such as Hyde Park Winter Wonderland and the festivals at Hampton Court Palace and Blenheim Palace. The company has also recently acquired TodayTix, the digital ticketing platform.
Following completion, Mari has indicated it intends to act as a long-term custodian of ATG’s theatres, with plans to invest in preservation and modernisation, enhance the audience experience and support new productions. Those commitments, if fulfilled, could have meaningful consequences for the conservation of historic venues and the commercial environment for producers and touring acts.
Implications for the theatre sector
The purchaser’s stated focus on venue stewardship is likely to be welcomed by some stakeholders wary of short-term private equity ownership. ATG was owned by Providence Equity prior to the agreement; the shift to a buyer that emphasises long-term investment may change how capital is deployed across maintenance, accessibility upgrades, front-of-house technology and production support.
- Regulatory approval is still required; the companies remain separate until closing.
- Financial terms were not released by either party.
- Mari positions itself as a long-term custodian with plans for preservation and audience-centred investment.
For producers and artists, the acquisition could mean greater stability of performance spaces and potential new avenues for co-productions. For audiences, it may translate into refreshed facilities and programming — but details on specific capital projects or timelines have not been disclosed.
| Metric | ATG figure |
|---|---|
| Venues | ~70 across UK, US, Germany, Spain |
| West End theatres | 10 |
| Broadway theatres | 7 |
| Annual performances | Over 16,000 |
| Annual audience | More than 18 million |
ATG’s global reach — from London’s commercial theatre district to Broadway houses and regional venues — means the transaction will be watched closely on both sides of the Atlantic. Industry observers will be particularly attentive to how the new ownership balances commercial programming with heritage conservation and community engagement.
Mari’s previous acquisitions and festival operations give it a track record in staging large-scale public events; whether that expertise will translate into transformative investment across ATG’s historic playhouses remains the key question for the sector as the deal moves through its closing conditions.
