Valeas Capital Partners has acquired a majority stake in US-based platform TicketManager. The $110m deal was announced in late May and is set to close in June 2025.
TicketManager is a tool that helps companies keep track of the sports and event tickets they give to clients or employees. Instead of using spreadsheets and email threads, it reports to put all the necessary information in one system. It shows who’s using the tickets, offers a tool to invite guests and claims to help prove whether the spend is worth it.
Co-founders Tony Knopp and Ken Hanscom will stay on as CEO and COO. They will keep a minority stake and continue running day-to-day operations.
TicketManager serves over 500 global brands, including Mastercard, FedEx and Verizon. It connects with around 400 sports teams and venues. The software replaces spreadsheets and email threads with one streamlined system.
The potential market is huge. Companies spend over $600bn a year on client entertainment. Yet 43% of corporate tickets go unused, according to TicketManager. Fewer than one in five companies use software to manage them.
Valeas sees the potential. “Investments in customer entertainment are increasingly viewed as essential,” said Valeas co-founder Ed Woiteshek. “Enterprises want measurable results.”
Valeas Capital Partners is a San Francisco-based private equity firm. They focus on sectors like healthcare, financial services, data and technology.
Founded in 2007, TicketManager was originally known as TicketOS. The company now plans to expand internationally and integrate more with CRM tools and other ticketing platforms.
“We created this category,” said Knopp. “Now we intend to widen the gap.”
