Showpass Acquires Bounce to Dominate University Ticketing

Showpass, Canada's largest domestic live event ticketing platform, plans to acquire Bounce, a university campus engagement platform founded at Queens University. The deal, announced Tuesday, gives Showpass a direct entry into the university market. CEO Lucas McCarthy did not disclose a purchase price but called it a sizable investment.

"What we're kind of pushing now is making sure our product speaks the same language as the verticals we're servicing," McCarthy said. "And consumers still get that generalized approach of being able to discover this wide range of things to do."

Showpass already runs a digital hub for campus-based events and ticketing. Talks with Bounce began late last year. McCarthy said no decision has been made about staffing changes from the takeover.

The acquisition coincides with the rollout of Showpass Campus, a dedicated platform that pools student programming, club, athletic, and arts events into one place. That platform will power Bounce's clientele during the transition.

The move reflects a deliberate shift. Showpass is moving away from a one-size-fits-all model toward hyper-specific offerings for each event vertical, McCarthy said. Over the next year, the company plans to build out distinct branches for sports, conventions, and other submarkets.

The acquisition is expected to fully close later this month.