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RWS Global buys Great Big Events, establishing RWS Global Sports and a Sydney base

RWS Global, the world’s largest producer of live entertainment, acquired Great Big Events (GBE), a leading global sports event production company.

Anne Kalosh, Editor, Seatrade Cruise News & Senior Associate Editor, Seatrade Cruise Review

May 14, 2024

3 Min Read
Credit: Seatrade Cruise News

GBE credits include more than 100 World Championships, World Cups, Olympic, Paralympic, Commonwealth and multi-sport Games.

The company's 2023 showreel is here:

 

RWS Global Sports is born

As a result, RWS Global is launching a new division, RWS Global Sports, to provide a comprehensive range of offerings, including venue design, entertainment, sports production, merchandise and more.

'Fusing together our teams, resources and talent strengthens our position as leaders in the live experiential sector and allows us to deliver unprecedented live sports and entertainment experiences for our clients and their audiences across the globe,' said Ryan Stana, chairman and CEO of RWS Global.

Sydney office will benefit cruise clients

RWS Global is establishing an office in Sydney, its fourth global hub, complementing existing locations in New York, London and Cincinnati.

'The Sydney location will allow us to broaden our entertainment offerings to the cruise market in Sydney which tends to be a difficult territory to place guest entertainers,' Stana told Seatrade Cruise News. His company's cruise clients include Azamara, Holland America Line, Marella Cruises, MSC Cruises and TUI Group.

CRUISE Kim Henshaw Ryan Stana

GBE's Kim Henshaw and RWS Global's Ryan Stana see vast joint opportunities for their clients and audiences around the globe

GBE co-founder Kim Henshaw will join and lead the RWS Global Sports division, bringing extensive industry expertise and knowledge that RWS Global considers invaluable as it continues to expand its presence in the live entertainment and sporting events market.

'We are thrilled to be joining forces with RWS Global and excited about the endless possibilities ahead,' Henshaw said. 'With our combined expertise, we will develop unparalleled live sports experiences and set a new standard for the industry.'

Follows Bluestone Equity Partners investment

This acquisition follows an investment in RWS Global by Bluestone Equity Partners, a private equity firm with diverse sports and entertainment assets. The investment will support the new RWS Global Sports division in delivering major international events over the next three years with ambitious plans for further global expansion.

'We have long believed in the significant growth opportunity for RWS Global across new sectors. This announcement is a natural evolution for the RWS Global portfolio, further cementing its position as the leader in global live entertainment,' said Bobby Sharma, founder & managing partner, Bluestone Equity.

CRUISE UEFA Womens Euro Brisbane Broncos

Further GBE productions include the UEFA Women's Euro Tournament, top, and Brisbane Broncos, bottom

 

Fan engagement apps

Additionally, the deal sees RWS Global expanding its digital capabilities with GBE’s fan engagement apps, including Ultimate Fan App and Anywhere Live, along with the integrated software system PV4.

The RWS Global team now comprises more than 300 full-time employees and engages over 8,000 seasonal talents annually.

About the Author

Anne Kalosh

Editor, Seatrade Cruise News & Senior Associate Editor, Seatrade Cruise Review

Anne Kalosh covers global stories, reporting both breaking and in-depth news on cruising's significant people, places, ships and trends. A sought-after expert on cruising, she has moderated conferences around the world, including the high-profile State of the Industry panel at Seatrade Cruise Global. She created and led the acclaimed itinerary-planning case study for Seatrade's cruise master classes held at Cambridge and Oxford universities. She has been the cruise columnist for AFAR.com, and her freelance stories have appeared in a wide range of publications, from The New York Times to The Miami Herald.

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