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Los Angeles - Live Nation Entertainment Inc announced on Monday that it has acquired a controlling interest in Big Concerts International Proprietary Limited ("Big Concerts"), the leading concert promoter in South Africa.
Big Concerts will continue to be led by Attie van Wyk as Chairman and Justin van Wyk as Chief Executive Officer.
Michael Rapino, Live Nation Entertainment president and CEO, said: "Our mission at Live Nation 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 Live Nation’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, said: "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."
Attie van Wyk, Chairman of Big Concerts, said: "We are extremely proud and excited to be joining the Live Nation team. Over the past 5 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."
Justin van Wyk, Chief Executive of Big Concerts added: "With world class stadiums and new arenas in the pipeline, South Africa is the most advanced economy in Africa and offers significant growth opportunities for the global live entertainment industry. We look forward to expanding the African live touring circuit and its attractiveness for global tours."
Upcoming tours for 2016 include Lionel Richie, Chris de Burgh, Josh Groban, Mariah Carey, Iron Maiden and George Benson. More information on these tours can be found at www.bigconcerts.co.za.
