Ticketcorner and Starticket establish joint Swiss ticketing group

Ticketcorner Holding AG, which is owned by CTS Eventim and Ringier, and Tamedia have today signed a transaction agreement under which Ticketcorner and Starticket will operate and offer their services jointly in the market in future.The merger is still subject to approval by the Swiss Federal Competition Commission and is expected to be completed in the first half of 2017.The merger of Ticketcorner and Starticket will create a high-reach ticketing group with innovative services, high-performance platforms, mobile apps and scanning solutions for event customers. With this step, Ticketcorner and Starticket are responding to the increasingly intense competition in the ticketing business from international providers, rapid technological developments and the growing importance of direct sales.International network and anchoring in SwitzerlandWith CTS Eventim as a major ticketing company in Europe as a partner, Ticketcorner and Starticket benefit from innovative ticketing solutions and an ongoing transfer of know-how, innovation and technology. As Swiss media companies, Ringier and Tamedia will ensure that the company is firmly anchored in Switzerland. The joint ticketing group will be managed by Andreas Angehrn, the current CEO of Ticketcorner.Klaus-Peter Schulenberg, CEO of CTS Eventim AG & Co. KGaA: "With the merger of Ticketcorner and Starticket, event ticketing in Switzerland is taking on a new dimension, which will result in a wide range of synergies for the benefit of event organizers and ticket buyers. Together with our new partners at Tamedia and our long-standing co-shareholder Ringier, we can contribute an interesting combination of assets to the joint venture. "Marc Walder, CEO of Ringier: "The merger of Ticketcorner and Starticket reflects the fact that ticketing - like many other industries - is facing huge challenges. Digitalization, new technologies and distribution systems are also radically changing this market. "Christoph Tonini, CEO of Tamedia: "By merging Ticketcorner and Starticket, our event customers will benefit from greater reach and our ticket customers from a wider range of events. We look forward to working together with Ringier and CTS Eventim. "Ticketcorner AG is currently owned equally by the CTS Eventim Group and the Ringier media group via Ticketcorner Holding AG. Starticket is part of the Tamedia media group. Ticketcorner Holding AG, which is held equally by the CTS Eventim Group and Ringier, will hold 75 percent and Tamedia 25 percent of the new company Ticketcorner AG. The parties have agreed not to disclose details of the transaction.