AEG’s AXS Buys Hamburg Ticketing Company

AXS, the AEG-owned ticketing company, on Nov. 4 announced the acquisition of a white-label ticketing company called white label eCommerce. The latter company, a Hamburg start-up founded in 2012 that has about 35 employees, currently sells tickets to festivals, sports events and some concerts, but not under its own name.

White label eCommerce will become part of AXS Germany, which in 2024 started selling premium tickets to German AEG venues, including Uber Arena in Berlin and Barclays Arena in Hamburg. It will continue its white-label business as well. “The entire team is thrilled to become a part of a respected global business like AXS and the broader AEG team,” white label founder Arndt Scheffler said in the announcement. 

“We’re honored to welcome white label eCommerce to the AXS global team,” said AXS president, International, Blaine Legere in the announcement. “Their stellar reputation for client service, iconic list of clients, and forward-thinking technology aligns with our brand.”

Although AEG operates in the U.S. as a concert promotion company, as well as a venue owner, that strategy has varied by market in Europe. In Germany, which in most years is the world’s third- or fourth-largest live entertainment market after the US and the UK and sometimes Japan, AEG operates several venues but does not promote concerts other than that. In other European markets, AEG has transitioned from operating only as a venue owner to working as a promoter as well – usually for other venues as well as the ones it owns. In most markets, a ticketing strategy through AXS is an important part of that.

An acquisition that seems to signal an expansion of AEG’s ticketing business could be taken as a hint that the company could eventually become a promoter in the German market as well. And two German live music executives with no direct knowledge of AEG’s plans suggested that might be the case, given the company’s operations elsewhere in Europe. But the company could face more competition in Germany than elsewhere in Europe, since the company CTS Eventim has more market share there in ticketing as well as promotions.