Billionaire investor Ron Burkle‘s Yucaipa Companies have announced an investment in Day After Day Productions, founded and led by Seth Shomes, a longtime booking agent in the casino and soft ticket business.
“Over the last decade I have watched with great interest Ron Burkle’s foray into the agency business and I am thrilled to partner with him and Yucaipa,” says Shomes. “As I re-launched DADP in April 2021 with just myself and a laptop, it is a proud moment that our immediate growth has quickly led to a partnership with one of the biggest entrepreneurs out there, and I look forward to finding internal synergies within Yucaipa’s portfolio of agencies and related entertainment companies.”
David Barnes, partner at Yucaipa, notes, “We are extremely pleased to be going into business with Seth Shomes. We greatly admire the company he has built and look forward to having a successful partnership with him for years to come.”
Shomes founded Day After Day Productions in 1996 and operated independently through 2014 until joining The Agency Group – and then UTA through that acquisition – and opened the first-ever dedicated Casino Divisions at each agency. Shomes has received five “Agent Of The Year” awards from the prestigious Casino Entertainment Awards in Las Vegas. Since opening as a solo operator in 2021, Shomes quickly expanded to a team of 12 staff, including five booking agents, six coordinators and a Head of Tour Marketing.
Additionally, as part of the investment, Yucaipa portfolio company Danny Wimmer Presents has partnered with Shomes to grow its DWP Talent Services division with Shomes being named partner. DWP Talent Services was launched in 2021 with the acquisition of Billy Alan Productions, led by Billy Brill, a highly accomplished industry executive and consultant with more than 40 years of success in the entertainment, interactive media and casino booking industries.
Danny Hayes, CEO of Danny Wimmer Presents, says “Billy Brill, Danny Wimmer, Del Williams and I have been looking for the right opportunities to expand our talent buying services for third party clients like casinos and fairs. I was Seth’s lawyer the first time he built Day After Day, so I know what his unique skill set, relationships and reputation will bring to DWPTS. Seth’s creative approach and client philosophy is in lockstep with ours.”
