DEAG-Backed Tickets.ie Collapses Into Liquidation
June
5
Ireland`s largest independent ticketing company, Tickets.ie, has ceased trading and is expected to enter liquidation, prompting concerns among event organisers regarding outstanding ticket revenues.
In a statement published on its website, Tickets.ie confirmed that it had ceased operations and that its directors were taking steps to place the company into liquidation and appoint a liquidator.
Founded in 2004, Tickets.ie provided ticketing services for thousands of music, arts, comedy, educational, family and sporting events across Ireland. In 2022, a majority stake in the company was acquired by German live entertainment group DEAG.
The company advised that all enquiries should be directed to the appointed liquidator once details become available. Ticket holders for upcoming events have been asked to await further communication from individual event promoters regarding the status of their events.
Among the organisations affected is the Cowboys and Heroes country music festival in County Leitrim. Festival organiser Simon Power said to thejournal.ie that the event could be facing a loss of approximately €135,000 in ticket revenue following the collapse of the ticketing provider.
According to Power, the issue came to light when festival representatives attempted to access the Tickets.ie portal following the event and discovered the notice regarding the company`s liquidation.
Power said the festival had worked with Tickets.ie for several years and described the situation as a significant challenge for the event`s future. He noted that, as a business-to-business transaction, the festival is not covered by the same consumer protections available to ticket buyers.
The organiser said the uncertainty surrounding the recovery of funds has placed the event in a difficult position and could have implications for future editions of the festival, which has been running for 14 years and contributes to the local tourism economy.
At the time of writing, neither Tickets.ie, DEAG nor company founder John O`Neill had publicly commented on the claims regarding outstanding festival revenues.