Frontier Touring and AEG Presents agree alliance with Hordern Pavilion operator Playbill Group

Playbill Group, the venue managers of Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion, has announced a partnership with Frontier Touring - part of the Mushroom Group - and AEG Presents - the live-entertainment division of Los Angeles-based AEG.

Announced today, a joint statement on the partnership advised that Michael Nebenzahl will continue as Managing Director of Playbill.

Formed in 1958 by Brian and Jocelyn Nebenzahl, Playbill’s interests include management of the Hordern Pavilion, which this year celebrates its 100th anniversary, and will once again host the ARIA Awards.

Playbill also merchandises for theatrical productions including musicals, national theatre and music companies in 12 countries worldwide, and partners with major sporting teams and operates venue concessions across the country and in Asia.

Commenting on the alliance, Nebenzahl advised “I am delighted to be partnering with AEG Presents and Frontier Touring in this next phase of the Playbill journey.

“We have always prided ourselves on serving our customers, whether in musical theatre, sport or as a venue through the Hordern Pavilion. In AEG, we have found a like-minded partner to continue to honour the legacy my parents created when they founded the business.”

Frontier Touring Chief Executive, Dion Brant noted “Playbill and Frontier have a lot in common (as) Australian-founded family companies proving competitive on the global stage.

"When we met Michael and his team it became obvious that the similarities didn’t stop there. We think very similarly, we have similar values and a similar culture.”

The partnership also has the potential to unite Playbill with Frontier Touring sister company Love Police ATM, the Australian merchandise company.

Brant continued "with LPATM and Playbill it is less about synergies and more that they complement each other. Playbill has built its global reputation in theatre, LPATM in music. Neither is really active in the same space as the other.

“There may be synergies at some point down the track but at the moment the best part of having a relationship with both is that they bring different expertise and specialties to the market.”

When Frontier Touring and AEG Presents formed a strategic joint venture in 2019, cementing a successful decade-long arrangement on Australasian tours, the local concert company stepped into the world of a multi-national live entertainment business, whose portfolio includes festivals, tours and venues around the globe.

AEG has a long-established presence in Australia through its then-named AEG Ogden joint venture, the largest venue management company in Asia Pacific.

 In 2019, AEG Facilities, the venue management subsidiary of AEG, announced a merger with SMG to create a new management empire called ASM Global, which would collect more than 300 facilities worldwide under a single banner.

Financial terms of the arrangement were not disclosed.

Image: The 2023 ARIA Awards at the Hordern Pavilion. Credit: Playbill Venues/Jordan Munns.