Saffire Has Been Acquired by AudienceView, a Portfolio Company of Rubicon Technology Partners

HOUSTON, TEXAS (July 15, 2026) – Statesman Corporate Finance, LLC (“Statesman”) is pleased to announce the acquisition of Saffire, LLC (“Saffire” and/or the “Company”), by AudienceView, a portfolio company of Rubicon Technology Partners. Statesman served as the exclusive financial advisor to Saffire on this transaction, which closed on June 1, 2026.

Saffire is a Portland, Oregon-based technology company serving the live-events ecosystem, primarily fairs, festivals, rodeos, attractions, and destination venues. Saffire empowers hundreds of events with the industry’s only fully integrated ticketing and website platform, combining SaffireTix ticketing, BlastPass® cashless RFID wristband technology, on-site kiosks, and event-day support services into a single, seamless experience.

AudienceView is a unified event commerce platform that connects audiences, operations, and engagement across the live event journey. With more than 200 employees globally and over 2,400 venues processing $3B+ in annual transaction volume, AudienceView serves performing arts organizations, athletics programs, higher education institutions, and live music venues with enterprise and mid-market ticketing solutions (Unlimited, Professional, Campus), integrated payments, digital marketing through Audience Republic, and consumer discovery through TheaterMania and WhatsOnStage. AudienceView is headquartered in Toronto, Canada, and backed by Rubicon Technology Partners.

With more than 2,800 venues and over $3.5B+ in combined annual transaction volume, AudienceView and Saffire together represent one of the most significant forces in live event commerce. While AudienceView and Saffire serve distinct and complementary markets, this combination unlocks a massive new cross-platform toolset for clients on both sides. AudienceView’s clients gain access to Saffire’s website solution and cashless RFID technology. Saffire’s clients gain access to AudienceView’s payments and digital marketing capabilities.

“The Statesman team was a trusted advisor throughout our transaction,” said Kendra Wright, Founder of Saffire. “Their professionalism, market expertise, and hands-on support were instrumental in achieving a successful outcome. They assembled an exceptional team, simplified the diligence process, and provided invaluable guidance every step of the way. We couldn’t be more pleased with the result and the partnership we built together.”

“We built Saffire on a simple belief: that fairs, festivals, and attractions are worthy of technology made specifically for them. That belief has guided everything we’ve created together,” said Aaron Pederson, President of Saffire. “Joining AudienceView lets us take it further than we ever could on our own—more capabilities for our clients, more reach for our platform, and more organizations across live events able to deliver the experiences that bring communities together. We couldn’t be more excited about what’s ahead.”

About the other transaction participants