Ari Emanuel's Mari buys theater giant ATG in $6B deal
What's the deal? Ari Emanuel's live events company MariDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → has agreed to acquire Broadway and West End theater owner ATG EntertainmentDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → from private equity firm Providence EquityDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →. Terms were not disclosed, but the deal has been pegged at $6 billion. ATG will keep its brand and leadership once the transaction closes, subject to regulatory approvals.
What's ATG? The group owns, operates or programs 70 venues across Britain, the US, Germany, Austria and Spain. It holds seven Broadway theaters — including the Lyric, home to Harry Potter and the Cursed Child — and 10 in the West End, such as the Lyceum, home to The Lion King .
Why now? The purchase deepens Mari's push into theater, following its October 2025 acquisition of ticketing company TodayTix, shortly after Mari itself launched. Reports of a possible ATG deal surfaced in June 2026.
What's the endgame? Mari's portfolio already spans the Miami Open and Madrid Open tennis events, Frieze art fairs and car auction firm Barrett JacksonDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →. Emanuel is also chief executive officer of TKODealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, home to WWEDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → and UFCDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →. "This is a long-term bet on where live goes next," he said.
By the numbers: Broadway theaters rarely change hands. ATG is the third-largest Broadway theater owner, behind the Shubert OrganizationDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, which holds 17 of 41 theaters, and the Nederlander OrganizationDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, with nine. ATG rose to third after buying a majority stake in Jujamcyn TheatersDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → in 2023. Providence Equity itself acquired a majority stake in ATG for about $500 million in 2013.
The signal: Producer Sonia Friedman, an ATG partner behind Paddington and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child , said Mari's "breadth of experience across live events and its respect for creative independence" could help sustain live theater. The bet reflects a wider push by entertainment players to consolidate live venues and experiences.
Read more: The Hollywood Reporter
Image credit: daryl_mitchell
