MARI, the events and experiences company founded by Hollywood agent Ari Emanuel in 2025, has agreed to acquire ATG Entertainment, the operator of more than 70 venues including a significant portfolio of West End and Broadway theatres, in a deal reported to be worth around £4.5 billion.
Deal and corporate background
The transaction, which followed talks reported in June, was executed between MARI and ATG’s owner Providence Equity, with LionTree acting as lead financial adviser. MARI — already owner of festival and sporting properties such as the Miami Open, Mutua Madrid Open, Frieze and Barrett‑Jackson — also acquired digital ticketing platform TodayTix in October 2025.
“the company's interest in ‘the growing power of live experience and the passionate audiences it brings together.’”
In its public statement, MARI framed the purchase as a long‑term commitment to live performance and audience engagement; subsequent commentary indicates the buyer plans to run ATG under its existing brand and leadership while investing in preservation and modernisation across the estate.
What MARI now controls
ATG’s holdings span the UK, United States, Germany and Spain and include both London’s West End houses and high‑profile Broadway theatres. The London portfolio contains long‑running musicals such as The Book of Mormon, Wicked and The Lion King. On Broadway, ATG’s operating venues include the Lyric Theatre and the Hudson Theatre, as well as the August Wilson, Walter Kerr, Al Hirschfeld, Eugene O'Neill and St. James theatres — the latter five having been acquired as part of a 2023 merge with Jujamcyn.
| Metric | Detail / examples |
|---|---|
| Approximate number of venues | 70+ across UK, US, Germany, Spain |
| Notable West End productions | The Book of Mormon, Wicked, The Lion King |
| Notable Broadway venues | Lyric, Hudson, August Wilson, Walter Kerr, Al Hirschfeld, Eugene O'Neill, St. James |
Current and recent productions at some of those theatres were listed in public reporting: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at the Lyric; Every Brilliant Thing at the Hudson Theatre; Hadestown at the Walter Kerr; Moulin Rouge! at the Al Hirschfeld; The Book of Mormon at the Eugene O'Neill; Titanique at the St. James; and Dog Day Afternoon at the August Wilson.
Industry implications
- The scale of the transaction, reported at around £4.5bn, marks the largest takeover yet for MARI and places a substantial tranche of premium theatrical real estate under the control of a single live‑events operator.
- MARI’s ownership of ticketing technology (TodayTix) and festivals alongside theatre venues creates a vertically integrated footprint spanning production, ticket distribution and venue operation.
- ATG said it would continue under existing leadership and maintain creative independence; MARI has emphasised investment in preservation, modernisation and enhanced audience experience as priorities.
For playwrights, producers and local theatre communities, the acquisition raises immediate questions about how future programming and access will be balanced against the commercial strategies of a global events company. MARI’s stated intention to support regional venues and broaden local access will now be watched closely by cultural organisations, unions and arts funders.
Regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions remain part of the completion process, according to the announcing parties. Until those steps are finalised, ATG will continue to operate its venues and productions as normal, per the companies’ statements.
The transaction is likely to reshape the business landscape of British and American commercial theatre by concentrating a significant number of venues within a single corporate group that bridges live sport, festivals, art fairs and commercial theatre — a consolidation that will have commercial, artistic and civic reverberations in equal measure.
