Taylor Wessing advises DEAG on acquisition of majority stake in I-Motion GmbH

DEAG Deutsche Entertainment Aktiengesellschaft (DEAG) has acquired a majority interest in I-Motion GmbH. The international law firm Taylor Wessing, under the leadership of its Berlin partner Norman Röchert, provided legal advice to the entertainment service provider DEAG on the transaction.

DEAG's investment in I-Motion GmbH further strengthens its position as one of Europe's leading live entertainment service providers. DEAG estimates the additional sales potential at a total of 15 million euros annually. The company sees further potential in the "ticketing" sector in particular as a result of the partnership. DEAG also expects more growth in other European countries through the expansion and marketing of established and successful I-Motion GmbH event formats.

DEAG's business model comprises the organisation, marketing and execution of events on the one hand, and on the other hand DEAG is active in the ticket sales business with its own "MyTicket" platform for its own and third party events. DEAG currently organises around 4,000 concerts and events per year, for which the company sells over 5 million tickets.

Since the company was founded in 1994, I-Motion GmbH has made a name for itself as an organiser of successful electronic music events. Established formats such as "Mayday", "Nature One" or "Ruhr in Love" register more than 2.5 million visitors annually, in addition to around 200,000 tickets sold. I-Motion is the operating company of LiveStyle, Inc., USA, in Germany, which took over the promoter in 2013, at that time under the name SFX Entertainment, Inc. The US-American parent company with headquarters in Los Angeles is one of the world's largest music event producers. The most important North American business units include AMFAMFAMF, Made Event, React Presents, Disco Donnie Presents and Life In Color as well as the brands Electric Zoo, Spring Awakening, the FriendShip, LIC Miami, BLNK CNVS and All My Friends Music Festival.

Legal Advisors DEAG Deutsche Entertainment Aktiengesellschaft (DEAG)

Taylor Wessing Germany: Lead Management Dr. Norman Röchert (Partner, Corporate/M&A), Dr. Gregor Schmid (Partner, IP), Volker Herrmann (Salary Partner, Commercial), Nico Jänicke (Salary Partner), Stephan Meyer (Associate, Corporate), Randy Piper (Associate, IP), Charlotte-Sophie Unger (WiMi), all Berlin, Dr. Bert Kimpel (Partner, Tax) Johanna Thünnesen (Associate, Tax), both Düsseldorf, Dr. Christian Altenhofen (Associate, M&A, Munich), Konstantin Schrader (Senior Associate, Antitrust, Hamburg)