Outback Presents has spun off its music team into a new entity called Since Entertainment, it was announced on Monday (May 4). The news follows an announcement last week that Outback had formed a joint partnership with AEG Presents for its comedy division, which will now be a separate company from the music team.
As part of these transactions, Raven Capital, which took a stake in Outback in 2021, sold a minority stake in Outback’s comedy division to AEG, but will retain its full ownership stake in Since Entertainment, as well as Evolution of Advertising, the company’s music and data-driven engagement platforms. Chairman Leigh Feuerstein and the rest of the company’s management team will remain in place.
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“Leigh is one of the most talented and thoughtful leaders we have had the opportunity to partner with,” Dimitri Cohen, principal and chief investment officer of Raven, said in a statement. “What Leigh and his team have built at Outback Presents reflects extraordinary discipline, creativity and operational excellence. Under Leigh’s leadership, the business has evolved into an industry-leading platform. We are thrilled to welcome AEG as a partner in the comedy business and believe the platform is well positioned to continue growing and gain meaningful share in the years ahead.”
A press release from AEG on the new partnership says, “Together, AEG Presents and Outback Presents aim to expand opportunities for comedians at every stage of their careers, deepen fan engagement and drive the continued growth of comedy as a cornerstone of the live entertainment business.”
“We couldn’t be more excited about this partnership and the opportunity to work closely with AEG Presents,” co-CEOs of Outback Presents, Michael Smardak and Brian Dorfman, said in a joint statement. “The company brings a market-leading perspective and presence to the live events business, while remaining intentional about protecting the identity of their unique business units. It feels global and bespoke at the same time.”
Smardak, who founded Outback Presents in 1996, has been honored with the International Entertainment Buyer’s Association (IEBA)’s promoter of the year award and was inducted into IEBA’s Hall of Fame. He co-created the Nashville Comedy Festival and the 312 Comedy Festival and was designated as a Billboard Touring Power Player in 2024.
Dorfman, meanwhile, owns several comedy venues across the U.S., including multiple Improv locations and Stand Up Live in Phoenix.
On Billboard’s 2025 Year End Top promoters list, Outback Presents ranked at No. 10 with a total gross of $178.6 million and attendance of 2.4 million across 682 shows. AEG Presents ranked at No. 2, with a $2.5 billion gross and attendance of 26.9 million across 9,846 shows.
“Outback Presents have built an enviable business from the ground up, and our intent is to let them do what they do best: create best in class comedy events,” added Shawn Trell, COO and general counsel at AEG Presents. “This partnership is founded — like so many of the ones we seek out at AEG Presents — on collaborating with true visionaries who complement our business strategy in meaningful and creative ways.”
