AXS / Eventim

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

AXS and CTS EVENTIM were appointed as the Official Ticketing Service Provider for the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games in February 2024. The two companies formed a joint venture combining AXS's North American strength (wholly owned by AEG) with EVENTIM's European dominance (number one ticketing provider in Europe, number two globally) to sell, distribute, and manage tickets across all LA28 events.

This is an operationally critical partnership. LA28 is uniquely reliant on ticket revenue, given the absence of federal government funding. LA28 chair Casey Wasserman has stated that sponsorships and ticket sales are the two primary revenue drivers for the privately funded Games. Average ticket prices are approximately 17% higher than Paris 2024, though LA28 has committed to at least one million tickets at $28 and roughly one-third of all tickets under $100.

The joint venture also holds the designation of Official Supporter of the LA28 Games and Team USA, and serves as LA28's preferred Secondary Ticketing Provider.

1. OLYMPIC HISTORY & MARKETING PRESENCE

1.1 Partnership Timeline & Evolution

AXS: No prior Olympic ticketing history. AXS is the ticketing platform for AEG's portfolio of over 500 venues, sports teams, and events across North America, Europe, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. AEG (Anschutz Entertainment Group) is the world's second-largest live entertainment company after Live Nation.

CTS EVENTIM: EVENTIM has prior Olympic adjacency through its pan-European ticketing operations but has not previously been the primary ticketing provider for a Summer Olympic Games. The company processed ticketing for various Olympic-adjacent events and has extensive experience with major European football tournaments and large-scale concerts.

The LA28 joint venture was announced in February 2024.

1.2 Milano Cortina 2026

AXS/EVENTIM is not the ticketing provider for Milano Cortina 2026. The Winter Games have their own official ticketing platform (tickets.milanocortina2026.org) and mobile app. AXS/EVENTIM's partnership is exclusively with the LA28 Games. However, the Milano Cortina ticketing experience (digital-only tickets via dedicated app, tiered pricing, lottery-based allocation) provides operational learnings that will inform the LA28 ticketing strategy.

1.3 Signature Programs

Joint venture model: First time AXS and EVENTIM have formed a dedicated ticketing partnership for a single event
Dual-platform distribution: Tickets available through axs.com, eventim.com, and la28.org
LA28 Ticket Draw: Lottery-based access system giving fans the chance to secure purchase time slots during ticket drops

2. LA28-SPECIFIC INITIATIVES

2.1 Announced Plans & Positioning

Ticket Draw registration: Opened January 14, 2026, for all Olympic sports
Local presale: Dedicated early access for Los Angeles area residents
Tiered pricing: At least 1 million tickets at $28; approximately one-third of tickets under $100; premium tiers for marquee events
Olympic ticket sales: General sales planned for 2026
Paralympic ticket sales: General sales planned for 2027
Secondary market: AXS/EVENTIM joint venture designated as preferred secondary ticketing provider, providing an official resale channel
Global distribution: EVENTIM handles European and international distribution; AXS handles North American sales

LA28 Venue Context: The Games will use 40+ competition venues across the LA metro area, with a dual-venue Opening Ceremony shared between the LA Memorial Coliseum and SoFi Stadium (announced May 2025). SoFi Stadium will be reconfigured for swimming in Week 2 (38,000 capacity, largest swimming venue in Olympic history). Athletics moves to Week 1 at the Coliseum, which will host the Closing Ceremony and earn the distinction of being the first venue in history to host events at three Olympic Games (1932, 1984, 2028). LA28 announced a first-of-its-kind venue naming rights program in August 2025, with named venues including Intuit Dome (basketball), Honda Center (volleyball), Comcast Squash Center at Universal Studios (squash), and Peacock Theater (weightlifting/boxing). Soccer venues in six cities nationwide (New York, Columbus, Nashville, St. Louis, San Jose, San Diego) extend ticketing operations beyond the LA metro. The 50-state Olympic torch relay, beginning April 2028, may generate separate ticketing demand for relay events.

2.2 Regulatory/Market Context

Pricing pressure: IOC members have publicly raised concerns about LA28 ticket prices, noting they appear "considerably more expensive" than Paris 2024. Casey Wasserman has linked pricing directly to the privately funded Games model: without federal subsidy, tickets must generate more revenue.

Dynamic pricing concerns: Both AXS and EVENTIM employ dynamic and demand-based pricing in their regular business operations. Whether dynamic pricing will be applied to Olympic tickets has not been publicly clarified and could become a flashpoint if prices fluctuate significantly.

Scalping and fraud: Olympic ticketing historically faces significant secondary market challenges. The official secondary marketplace run by the JV is designed to control resale pricing and reduce fraud.

Visa concerns: IOC members have also raised concerns about U.S. visa requirements for international fans, which could suppress international ticket demand and affect revenue projections.

3. EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP & DECISION-MAKERS

3.1 C-Suite Leadership

AXS: - Bryan Perez - CEO, AXS - Nikhil Bobde - CTO (appointed 2025; 20+ years at Microsoft and Meta) - Alex Hazboun - Chief Innovation Officer (newly created role, 2025) - Parent company: AEG, privately owned by Philip Anschutz

CTS EVENTIM: - Klaus-Peter Schulenberg - CEO, CTS EVENTIM AG & Co. KGaA - CTS EVENTIM is publicly traded on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (ETR: EVD)

3.2 Olympic Partnership Leadership

The joint venture structure suggests dedicated management separate from both parent organizations, though specific JV leadership has not been publicly named.

3.3 Board Members with Relevant Experience

AEG's Philip Anschutz is one of the world's wealthiest individuals with extensive sports and entertainment holdings including LA Galaxy, LA Kings, Staples Center (now Crypto.com Arena), and The O2 in London. His portfolio makes AEG deeply embedded in the Los Angeles sports infrastructure that will host the Games.

4. AGENCY & CREATIVE PARTNERS

4.1 Agency Model

Both AXS and EVENTIM operate primarily as technology and operations companies. Marketing for LA28 ticketing is likely coordinated through the LA28 organizing committee's marketing function rather than independently by the ticketing providers.

4.2 Known Agency/Partner Relationships

Not publicly disclosed for the LA28 ticketing operation specifically.

4.3 Notable Creative Executions

LA28 Ticket Draw: The lottery-based registration and purchase system is itself a significant operational and marketing innovation, generating buzz and email registrations ahead of actual ticket sales
Local-first messaging: The Los Angeles presale program positions LA28 as community-accessible despite pricing concerns

5. COMPETITIVE POSITIONING

5.1 Market Share & Competitive Landscape

AXS: Serves 500+ venues globally. Primary competitor is Ticketmaster (owned by Live Nation). AXS has positioned itself as the anti-Ticketmaster alternative, though it operates at significantly smaller scale. AXS is owned by AEG (Anschutz Entertainment Group), which also owns the LA Galaxy, LA Kings, Coachella, and multiple major venues.

CTS EVENTIM: EUR 2.81 billion in 2024 revenue (19.1% YoY growth). Number one ticketing provider in Europe, number two globally. Processes over 300 million tickets annually. Direct competitor to Ticketmaster/Live Nation globally.

Key Competitor Context: - Ticketmaster / Live Nation: The dominant global ticketing platform. Ticketmaster handled Paris 2024 Olympic ticketing. The selection of AXS/EVENTIM over Ticketmaster for LA28 is notable given Ticketmaster's scale advantage and prior Olympic experience. Live Nation faces ongoing DOJ antitrust scrutiny, which may have factored into LA28's decision. AEG's extensive LA venue portfolio (including Crypto.com Arena and Dignity Health Sports Park, potential Olympic venues) provided a local infrastructure advantage.

Combined positioning: The AXS/EVENTIM joint venture effectively counters the Ticketmaster monopoly narrative by offering a credible two-company alternative with genuine global reach.

5.2 Olympic Sponsorship Differentiation

Ticketing is an operational necessity, not a discretionary sponsorship category. Every Olympic Games requires a ticketing provider. The JV's additional designation as Official Supporter elevates the relationship beyond vendor to partner, giving AXS and EVENTIM marketing rights alongside their operational role. The selection of the AXS/EVENTIM JV over Ticketmaster represents a deliberate choice by LA28 to work with a local partner (AEG/AXS is headquartered in Los Angeles) and avoid the political baggage of Ticketmaster's antitrust controversies.

5.3 Key Brand Messaging

Access and fairness: The Ticket Draw system and $28 ticket floor are designed to counter pricing backlash
Global reach: AXS + EVENTIM together cover North America, Europe, and international markets
Technology and trust: Emphasis on secure, fraud-resistant ticketing platforms
Fan experience: Seamless digital purchasing across platforms

6. KEY METRICS & BUSINESS CONTEXT

6.1 Financial Performance

AXS/AEG: Privately held; financials not publicly disclosed. AEG is estimated to generate $8-10 billion in annual revenue across its live entertainment, venue, and sports portfolio.

CTS EVENTIM (ETR: EVD): - 2024 Revenue: EUR 2.81 billion (19.1% YoY growth) - 2024 Adjusted EBITDA: EUR 542.2 million (21.9% growth) - Ticketing Segment Revenue: EUR 879.9 million (22.7% growth) - H1 2025 Ticketing Revenue: EUR 415.7 million (16.1% growth) - 2025 Outlook: Moderate rise in revenue and adjusted EBITDA expected

6.2 Olympic Period Performance

Not applicable for LA28 specifically. Paris 2024 ticketing was handled by a different provider. The LA28 ticketing program's success will be measurable by total tickets sold, revenue generated, and the absence of major operational failures or fraud incidents.

APPENDIX: KEY SOURCES

Official Sources

LA28 Newsroom: AXS and CTS EVENTIM Partnership Announcement (February 2024)
LA28 Ticketing: la28.org/en/ticketing/
AXS: la28 partnership page (axs.com/la28)
USOPC: LA28 Ticketing and Hospitality Programs Announcement
LA28 Newsroom: Ticket Draw Registration (January 2026)