It was announced today by John Gore, Founder, CEO and owner of privately-held Key Brand Entertainment Inc, that his company has completed the acquisition of Broadway.com from Hollywood Media Corp. (NASDAQ: HOLL). Key Brand previously acquired Broadway Across America from Live Nation in 2008. With this acquisition, Key Brand, in which Gore is the largest shareholder, now owns 100% of Broadway.com's outstanding stock.
In addition to Gore and McGrath, Key Brand's other shareholders include Tokyo Broadcasting System Television, Inc., Japan's major television network, TBS Service, Inc., a leading provider of media-related services, and Lawson Entermedia, Inc., the most prominent ticketing company in Japan.
Liam Lynch, CFO to Key Brand, led the acquisition on behalf of the Company. Advisors to Key Brand were Ernst and Young LLP, Media & Entertainment Strategy Advisors (MESA), Houlihan Lokey and The Entertainment Investment Group, LLC. The legal team was headed up by David B Stern, General Counsel to Key Brand, and aided by Jeffer Mangels Butler & Mitchell LLP and Fred Gartside of Elkins Kalt Weintraub Reuben Gartside LLP.
Broadway.com President and COO Matt Kupchin and Executive Vice President of Ticketing Jerome Kane will continue in their current roles and report to
John Gore. Ticketmaster.com will remain the exclusive ticketing agent for single tickets to
Broadway Across America for their presenting network.
Broadway Across America is owned and operated by Key Brand Entertainment Inc.
Key Brand Entertainment Inc. is the leading developer, producer, and distributor of live theatre in North America and is focused on building a platform dedicated to all types of theatrical business including stage show licensing, production and acquisition. Led by CEO and Owner
John Gore, Chairman and Owner
Thomas B. McGrath , COO & Head of Production
Beth Williams, CFO Liam Lynch, and General Counsel David B. Stern, KBE continues to build on its significant expertise and geographic reach to broaden its production platform while simultaneously presenting Broadway and the West End's biggest hits to North America, Japan, the United Kingdom, as well as emerging theatre markets. Key Brand Entertainment Inc. owns and operates
Broadway Across America, which is led by CEO Miles C. Wilkin and President Lauren Reid.
Broadway Across America (www.broadwayacrossamerica.com) presents first-class touring Broadway musicals and plays such as the smash hits Wicked and Disney's the Lion King, family productions and other live events throughout a network of 43 North American cities. Current and upcoming Broadway productions include the hit revivals of Promises, Promises and West Side Story; How To Succeed... (starring
Daniel Radcliffe and
John Larroquette); Millon Dollar Quartet on Broadway and in London's West End. Current and upcoming productions across the U.S. include Dreamworks' Madagascar Live and CSI: The Experience at Las Vegas' MGM Grand. For more information, visit
www.kbeinc.net.
