Big Concerts acquired by Live Nation Entertainment

Michael Rapino, Live Nation Entertainment president and CEO, said, “Our mission is to connect fans with the artists they love in every corner of the globe. Our entry into the South African market through the acquisition of Big Concerts expands the group’s global footprint to 38 countries and brings live entertainment at scale to a new continent.”

Alan Ridgeway, Live Nation president of international & emerging markets, added, “Since South Africa hosted the FIFA World Cup in 2010, there has been a noticeable increase in the number of artists visiting the country with many acts now playing three or four cities. We look forward to working with Attie and Justin to further develop the South African market, as well as the broader African market as demand for live entertainment grows across the continent.”

Van Wyk said, “We are proud and excited to be joining the Live Nation team. Over the past five years the growth in the South African live entertainment industry has been exceptional, driven by investment in local infrastructure and strong consumer demand, all of which will continue to enable us to bring global superstars to the African continent in the future.”

Upcoming tours for 2016 include Roxette, Rodriguez, Lionel Richie, Chris de Burgh, Josh Groban, Mariah Carey, Iron Maiden and George Benson. For more information, go to www.bigconcerts.co.za.