MTV said it agreed to acquire the SnowGlobe Music Festival, expanding its live events business.
SnowGlobe is an annual three-day music festival taking place Dec. 29-31 in South Lake Tahoe, Calif., that includes a countdown to New Year’s.
Financial terms were not disclosed.
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MTV is part of Viacom, which has also been expanding the live experiences it offers fans at a time when the cable TV network business is difficult. Viacom in February acquired VidCom, the online video creators convention, and its cable channels are launching events like Nickelodeon’s Slimefest and Comedy Central’s ClusterFest.
Viacom has also aimed to diversify its business by acquiring digital video company AwsomenessTV in July and influencer marketing specialist Whosay in January.
MTV plans to expand SnowGlobe to additional dates and locations worldwide and launch other new events. SnowGlobe will also become part of MTV’s New Year’s Eve coverage, connected to the network’s live celebration at its Time Square studio in New York.
“With SnowGlobe, MTV is taking the natural next step in its resurgence by expanding deeper into live events, as we continue to reach our fans and capitalize on our strong brand in new ways,” said Chris McCarthy, president of MTV, VH1, CMT, and Logo. “In a festival space where many events have become indistinguishable, SnowGlobe stands out with a unique mix of music, sports, and art that makes it a favorite among artists and its growing audience.”
MTV’s portfolio of international events attract more than half a million attendees each year, the network said. In addition to the Video Music Awards in the U.S., MTV mounts the MTV EMAs in Europe, the MIAWs in Mexico and Brazil and Isle of MTV in Malta.
Now in its eighth year, the SnowGlobe 2018 lineup is headlined by Above & Beyond, Diplo, Eric Prydz, Rezz and RL Grime with more than 40 artists performing on three stages. SnowGlobe will also feature all-new art installations and the festival’s signature Big Air activation showcasing extreme winter sports demonstrations.
"With SnowGlobe, we’ve always endeavored to create an event experience that sets itself apart from the typical music festival model,” said Chad Donnelly, CEO of SnowGlobe. “We are incredibly excited to be joining the MTV family, whose legacy of developing boundary breaking programming and events perfectly aligns with our long-standing ambition of creative innovation.”
SnowGlobe has featured acts including Childish Gambino, Tiesto, Disclosure, Flume, Snoop Dogg, Major Lazer, Post Malone, Odesza, The Chainsmokers, G-Eazy, Wiz Khalifa, Kaskade, Phantogram and many more. Last year’s event featured performances by Travis Scott, Khalid, Zedd and Dillon Francis.
