Wizard World
Wizard World (dba FAN EXPO HQ) operates over 17 annual pop culture fan conventions across North America, drawing nearly 1 million attendees. Revenue derives from ticketing, exhibitor booth fees, and advertising/sponsorship. The company is a trading division of Informa Connect within UK-listed Informa PLC.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2010
- HeadquartersLos Angeles, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Wizard World does
Wizard World, operating under the FAN EXPO HQ brand, is a pop culture entertainment company that produces over 17 annual fan conventions across North America, drawing nearly 1 million attendees to events spanning comics, gaming, anime, sci-fi, fantasy, and related entertainment genres. The company generates revenue through three primary streams: event ticketing and admission from hundreds of thousands of attendees, exhibitor and booth fees paid by vendors and brands, and advertising and sponsorship packages targeting the concentrated fan audience. Its core product is the FAN EXPO convention platform, supplemented by branded themed extensions such as The Lord of the Rings 25th Anniversary Tour, with distribution handled through large-scale in-person events and supporting digital channels on YouTube, LinkedIn, and TikTok.
The company is a trading division of Informa Connect, itself part of UK-listed Informa PLC, which provides parent-level operational scale, capital, and infrastructure. Founded in 2010 by Gareb Shamus and headquartered in Los Angeles with 101-250 employees, Wizard World operates as a private entity with no public ticker. The business model is asset-light relative to the live entertainment sector: revenue is driven by event cadence, attendee yield, and the ability to monetize the engaged fanbase through exhibitor and sponsor relationships rather than through proprietary technology. No AI/ML capabilities, APIs, or technology platforms beyond standard event operations are disclosed in available sources.
From a competitive positioning standpoint, FAN EXPO HQ competes within the broader Comic-Con industry valued at $799 million in 2024, leveraging brand recognition, community scale, and a diversified event portfolio across multiple North American cities. Its primary strategic advantages are its established brand, community of passionate fans, and distribution breadth across 17+ annual events, though detailed customer logos, pricing data, and financial metrics are not publicly disclosed.
Wizard World firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Wizard World
- Legal name
- FAN EXPO HQ
- Website
- https://wizardworld.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2010
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Wizard World (dba FAN EXPO HQ) operates over 17 annual pop culture fan conventions across North America, drawing nearly 1 million attendees. Revenue derives from ticketing, exhibitor booth fees, and advertising/sponsorship. The company is a trading division of Informa Connect within UK-listed Informa PLC.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Wizard World industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Live Pop Culture Conventions
- NAICS
- Amusement, Gambling, and Recreation Industries (713), Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Arts, Culture, Entertainment & Fan Conventions Organizers (THAHABAN)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Beauty, Fashion & Pop-Culture Conventions (MPAGAFAG)
Keywords
Where Wizard World is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Los Angeles
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Wizard World business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Event Ticketing and Admission: Revenue generated from hundreds of thousands of attendees paying for admission to fan conventions and events across North America.
- Exhibitor and Booth Fees: Vendors and brands pay for exhibit space and booths at FAN EXPO events.
- Advertising and Sponsorship: Brands can advertise and sponsor events to reach the passionate fanbase attending conventions.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
Wizard World product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Wizard World operates as FAN EXPO HQ, hosting over 17 annual pop culture conventions across North America that attract nearly 1 million fans. The company produces large-scale fan events featuring exhibitor booths, celebrity appearances, panels, and merchandise, while monetizing through ticket sales, exhibitor booth fees, and advertising/sponsorship packages sold to brands.
Product overview
FAN EXPO HQ operates as a unified event platform hosting over 17 annual pop culture conventions across North America. The portfolio centers on FAN EXPO HQ as the flagship brand, with individual branded events including The Lord of the Rings 25th Anniversary Tour. The company serves pop culture enthusiasts through event experiences, while also offering advertising/sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities. Nearly 1 million fans attend these events annually. The operation is a trading division of Informa PLC under the Informa Connect brand.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- FAN EXPO HQ Convention Platform
- The Lord of the Rings 25th Anniversary Tour
- Advertising and Sponsorship Programs
- Exhibitor Booth Rentals
Quantifiable outcome
- Nearly 1 million fans and counting attend FAN EXPO events
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Wizard World
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Wizard World technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Wizard World partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Informa ConnectparentFAN EXPO HQ operates as part of Informa Connect, a trading division of Informa PLC. Informa is a UK-based international events, academic publishing, and intelligence company.
Scale indicators5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Wizard World competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Gen Con: The largest tabletop gaming convention in North America, drawing tens of thousands of attendees focused on RPGs, board games, and card games. It overlaps with FAN EXPO HQ's gaming vertical and competes for similar exhibitor and sponsor dollars.
- ReedPop: ReedPop is the events arm of Reed Exhibitions and the largest direct competitor to FAN EXPO HQ, operating marquee pop culture and gaming conventions including New York Comic Con, PAX, C2E2, and MCM London Comic Con. It competes for the same exhibitor, sponsor, and attendee wallet across overlapping fandom verticals.
- Dragon Con: A large multi-fandom convention in Atlanta drawing 80,000+ attendees across sci-fi, fantasy, gaming, and pop culture. Comparable in scale and programming mix to FAN EXPO HQ's flagship events.
- Awesome Con: A Washington, D.C.-based multi-fandom pop culture convention that competes head-to-head with FAN EXPO HQ's mid-Atlantic events. Operates on a similar scale and fan experience model with comics, celebrities, and gaming programming.
- Anime Expo (SPJA): North America's largest anime-focused fan convention operated by the Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation. It competes for the same anime/manga fandom attendee segment that FAN EXPO HQ targets with its pop culture events.
- Comic-Con International (San Diego Comic-Con): The operator of San Diego Comic-Con and WonderCon, the most prestigious and brand-defining pop culture conventions in the world. It is the original and most aspirational comparable for FAN EXPO HQ's portfolio of multi-fandom fan events.
- MCM Comic Con (now part of FAN EXPO HQ): MCM Comic Con operates pop culture conventions across the UK and Europe and was integrated into FAN EXPO HQ under Informa Connect. It is a directly comparable event portfolio and is the principal vehicle for FAN EXPO HQ's international expansion.
- C2E2 (Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo): Operated by ReedPop, C2E2 is a Chicago-based multi-fandom convention that competes directly with FAN EXPO HQ's Chicago event for exhibitors, sponsors, and attendees in the Midwest market.
Broad incumbents
- Informa Markets (Informa PLC): The B2B exhibitions and events division of Informa PLC, FAN EXPO HQ's ultimate parent. While focused on B2B trade shows rather than consumer fandom events, it is the organizational sibling that provides the operational backbone and capital base for FAN EXPO HQ's consumer event business.
Emerging players
- Enthusiast Gaming: A digital-first gaming and esports media company that owns Luminosity Gaming and produces gaming events and content. It represents the emerging digital/online alternative to physical fan conventions and is an adjacent competitor for the same fan attention and sponsorship dollars.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Wizard World social profiles
Digital presenceWizard World financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Wizard World leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Wizard World funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Wizard World M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Wizard World
What does Wizard World do?
Wizard World operates as FAN EXPO HQ, hosting over 17 annual pop culture conventions across North America that attract nearly 1 million fans. The company produces large-scale fan events featuring exhibitor booths, celebrity appearances, panels, and merchandise, while monetizing through ticket sales, exhibitor booth fees, and advertising/sponsorship packages sold to brands.
Is Wizard World a public or private company?
Wizard World is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Wizard World founded?
Wizard World was founded in 2010. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Wizard World based?
Wizard World is headquartered in Los Angeles, United States, in the North America region.
How does Wizard World make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Event Ticketing and Admission is the primary driver. The others are exhibitor and Booth Fees and advertising and Sponsorship.
Who are Wizard World's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Gen Con, ReedPop, Dragon Con, Awesome Con, Anime Expo (SPJA), Comic-Con International (San Diego Comic-Con), MCM Comic Con (now part of FAN EXPO HQ) and C2E2 (Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo). Informa Markets (Informa PLC) is listed as a broad incumbent. Enthusiast Gaming is listed as an emerging player.
Does Wizard World have an API?
No public API is recorded for Wizard World.
What industry is Wizard World in?
Wizard World's product category is Live Pop Culture Conventions. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAHABAN, Arts, Culture, Entertainment & Fan Conventions Organizers, with a secondary code of MPAGAFAG, Beauty, Fashion & Pop-Culture Conventions. Its NAICS code is 713 and its SIC code is 7900.