Creation Entertainment

What Creation Entertainment does

Creation Entertainment is a privately held, founder-owned fan convention producer founded in 1971 and headquartered in Glendale, California. Operating for over 50 years, the company organizes multi-day, celebrity-driven conventions across 20+ North American cities for franchise fan communities including Star Trek (ST-LV: Trek to Vegas), Supernatural (Creation Tour), The Vampire Diaries and The Originals (Vampire Fan Weekend), Xena, Smallville, Broadway, and others. Its core customer segments are dedicated franchise fans seeking celebrity panels, autographs, photo operations, vendor rooms, and themed evening events, supplemented by third-party vendors, sponsors, and merchandise buyers.

The core product is a multi-tiered convention admission package (Gold, Silver, Copper, General Admission) priced from $65 to $1,299, augmented by à la carte celebrity autograph sessions ($30–$129), photo ops ($45–$199), premium VIP meet-and-greets sold via online auction, vendor table rentals, and event sponsorships. Supporting revenue streams include the Creation Merchandise Store, eBay storefront, and Creation+ Purchase Protection (an opt-in refund service). The technology stack is intentionally lightweight and outsourced: TicketSpice for ticketing, Canva for marketing, eBay for marketplace, Discord for community, and Shopify via Official Pix for photo sales. There is no proprietary platform or technology moat; differentiation rests on a strict no-overselling seating guarantee, decades-long celebrity relationships (William Shatner has headlined ST-LV for 40+ years), and community lock-in via franchise-specific Facebook Groups.

The business model is direct-to-consumer, event-driven commerce with no disclosed revenue figures, no institutional funding, no parent company, and no public listing. The company runs a lean 11–50 person organization and is led by Co-CEO Adam Malin alongside founder Gary Berman, operating in California as its governing jurisdiction. Distribution is multi-channel: own websites for ticketing and merchandise, physical convention venues across the US and Canada, and a small vendor and sponsorship B2B overlay. No AI/ML capabilities, patents, certifications, or formal awards are disclosed; competitive moat is relational and operational rather than technological.

Name

Creation Entertainment

Legal name

Creation Entertainment

Website

https://creationent.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fan Conventions & Live Entertainment Events

NAICS

Amusement, Gambling, and Recreation Industries (713), Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries (711), Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Arts, Culture, Entertainment & Fan Conventions Organizers (THAHABAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Consumer & Public Shows (B2C) Organizers (THAHABAC), Creator Events & Experiences (Trips, Houses, Retreats) (MPAAAHAN), Creator Merchandise & Print-on-Demand Platforms (MPACAFAE)

Keywords

• Fan convention services
• Celebrity fan events
• Convention ticketing
• Entertainment merchandise
• Fan experience events

Headquarters

HQ city

Glendale

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices18 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Convention Admission Tickets: Multi-tiered ticket packages (Gold, Silver, Copper, General Admission, Preferred Single-Day) with prices ranging from $65 to $1299 depending on tier and event. Tickets are non-refundable and sold directly through the website.
2. Autograph Sessions: A la carte autograph tickets purchased separately from admission. Prices vary by celebrity, ranging from $30 to $129 per autograph session.
3. Photo Operations: Individual photo op tickets for professional 8x10 photos with celebrities. Prices range from $45 to $199 per session.
4. Merchandise Sales: Official Creation merchandise sold through creationentstore.com, eBay store, and at convention vendor rooms. Includes apparel, photos, collectibles, and licensed franchise merchandise.
5. Live Auctions: VIP experiences and meet & greets auctioned through auctions.creationent.com for premium fan experiences.
6. Vendor Tables: Third-party vendor table rentals at conventions for merchandise sellers. Information available at creationent.com/dealers.htm.
7. Sponsorships: Event sponsorships available for brands to reach convention audiences.
8. Concert & Special Event Tickets: Separate ticketed events like Saturday Night Celebration Concerts, VIP experiences, and meet & greets. Concert tickets range from free (for package holders) to $80 for standalone purchases.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

Creation Entertainment produces multi-day fan conventions for TV and film franchises including Star Trek, Supernatural, The Vampire Diaries, Broadway, Smallville, Xena, and others. The company sells tiered admission packages (Gold, Silver, Copper, General Admission) bundled with celebrity panels, autograph sessions, photo ops, concerts, and vendor rooms, alongside a la carte autograph and photo tickets, official franchise merchandise, and auctioned VIP meet-and-greet experiences.

Product overview

Creation Entertainment is a fan convention company operating for over 50 years, organizing multi-day events celebrating TV franchises including Star Trek (STLV: Trek to Vegas), Supernatural (Creation Tour), The Vampire Diaries (Vampire Fan Weekend), Broadway, Smallville, Xena, and others. The core offering consists of convention admission packages in four tiers (Gold, Silver, Copper, General Admission) that include access to celebrity panels, autograph sessions, and photo opportunities. Premium experiences include VIP meet & greets (via auction), exclusive concierge service, and themed evening events like Saturday night concerts and karaoke parties. Supporting products include the Creation Merchandise Store (creationentstore.com), Creation Live Auctions platform, and Creation+ Purchase Protection add-on service for ticket refunds. The company operates its own ticketing infrastructure integrated with TicketSpice for online purchases.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Creation Tour: Fan convention tour featuring Supernatural and related genre entertainment
• Vampire Fan Weekend
• ST-LV: Trek to Vegas
• Creation Merchandise Store
• Creation+ Purchase Protection
• STLV

Products and services

• Fan Conventions Multi-day fan conventions celebrating TV franchises including Star Trek (ST-LV: Trek to Vegas), Supernatural (Creation Tour), The Vampire Diaries (Vampire Fan Weekend), Broadway, Smallville, Xena, and others. Features celebrity panels, autograph sessions, photo ops, vendor areas, and themed evening events.
• Celebrity Photo Ops Professional photo opportunities with celebrity guests featuring an 8x10 glossy full-color photo. Tickets available per celebrity with prices ranging from $45 to $199 per session; group and duo photo ops also offered.
• Celebrity Autograph Sessions In-person autograph sessions with TV series cast members. Autographs available for individual purchase with prices ranging from $30 to $129 per session, varying by celebrity.
• Creation Merchandise Store Official Creation Entertainment merchandise store selling t-shirts, photos, autographed items, calendars, DVDs, glassware, and franchise-specific collectibles at creationentstore.com, with additional distribution through eBay and at convention vendor rooms.
• Creation Live Auctions Online auction platform at auctions.creationent.com for VIP experiences, meet-and-greets, and exclusive convention opportunities. Limited to small groups (typically 10-20 fans) per experience.
• Creation+ Purchase Protection Optional refund service allowing ticket refunds for unexpected circumstances including sudden illness, travel disruptions, severe weather, work conflicts, and legal obligations. Governed by California law and not classified as insurance.
• Vendor Table Rentals Third-party vendor table rentals at conventions for merchandise sellers, collectible dealers, and artists to sell products to fan audiences.

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Gene Roddenberry (Legacy)coreOthersCreation Entertainment has followed the beliefs and philosophical vision of Gene Roddenberry, their stated mentor, creating events that present a positive view of the future celebrating diversity and inclusiveness. This foundational relationship shapes company culture and event philosophy.
• TrekMovie.comminorOthersThird-party entertainment media outlet providing coverage of ST-LV conventions. Their positive reviews and editorial coverage serve as earned media endorsements for Creation events.
• Inglorious TrekspertscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProduction team (Mark A Altman, Daren Dochterman, Ashley E Miller) curating dedicated programming track at ST-LV conventions featuring industry-centric panels, anniversary celebrations, and live script readings. Their Treksperts track won 'Best Convention/Live Event' award recognition.
• SWAU AuthenticationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAuthentication and grading services partner for autograph verification and Funko Pop grading at conventions. VIP/Gold/Silver pass holders receive complimentary $10 authentication with their package.
• Official PixminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOfficial photo partner for convention photography sales. Sells professional photos from events through officialpix.myshopify.com.
• The Roddenberries (House Band)minorOthersSci-fi themed house band performing throughout ST-LV conventions. Also provides entertainment for Tuesday Night Welcome Dance Party and Saturday Night After-Gala Party. Part of the Roddenberry-inspired entertainment experience.
• Band From TV / Action Figures BandminorOthersCelebrity charity band featuring actors like Greg Grunberg, Scott Grimes performing at convention events. Action Figures is a spin-off performing free concerts at ST-LV.
• Various Hotel Partners (Rio All-Suites, Gold Coast, Marriott, Hilton, Sheraton)coreOthersLong-term venue partnerships with major hotel chains including Rio All-Suites Hotel and Casino (Las Vegas), Gold Coast Hotel & Casino, Sheraton properties, Marriott properties, Hilton properties, and Doubletree. Provides convention space and room blocks for attendees.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Star Trek: The Cruise: Niche Star Trek-themed cruise event featuring the same celebrity guests (William Shatner, etc.) Creation books for ST-LV — partial overlap on franchise and talent but a fundamentally different format (cruise vs. land convention) targeting the same core fan demographic.
• Days of the Dead (horror convention): Multi-city horror/sci-fi convention operator with celebrity guests and tiered ticketing; smaller scale than Creation but overlaps on fan demographics and convention operating mechanics.

Direct peers

• MCM Comic Con: UK-headquartered convention operator running MCM London, Birmingham, Manchester and other events with celebrity guest programming and tiered ticketing — directly comparable in business model to Creation's fan convention stack.
• GalaxyCon: Multi-city fan convention operator running events in Raleigh, Jacksonville, Richmond, Columbus, and other US cities featuring celebrity meet-and-greets, photo ops, autographs, and panels — overlapping directly with Creation's programming format and franchise mix (TV stars, sci-fi/fantasy).
• Awesome Con: Washington DC-area fan convention operated by LeftField Media featuring celebrity guests, panels, and tiered ticketing; smaller scale than Creation but directly comparable in event format and target audience.
• Wizard World (now part of FAN EXPO HQ): Former direct competitor running city-based celebrity conventions; comparable business model with tiered tickets, autographs, and photo ops, though the brand has been absorbed into larger FAN EXPO operations.
• ReedPop (owned by RX/RELX): ReedPop operates New York Comic Con, C2E2 Chicago, and other major fan conventions; directly comparable as a multi-fandom convention organizer running tiered ticketing, celebrity panels, and vendor floors at similar scale, but with broader pop-culture and comics emphasis rather than Creation's TV-franchise specialization.
• Fan Expo (Informa Markets): Operates Fan Expo Toronto, Fan Expo Philadelphia, Fan Expo Chicago and others with celebrity guest lineups, autograph/photo-op revenue model, and tiered weekend passes — the largest direct competitor in the North American TV/film fan convention space.

Others

• Inglorious Treksperts (programming partner): Production team (Mark A. Altman et al.) curating dedicated programming track inside Creation's ST-LV convention — not a direct competitor but a content partner illustrating Creation's external collaboration model for differentiated programming.

Broad incumbents

• San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC): The dominant US pop-culture convention operated as a non-profit; broader in scope than Creation (comics-first, multi-IP mega-event) but sets the ceiling on what a large-scale fan convention can achieve and competes for celebrity attention and fan dollars.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/creationent
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/cewarner
• Facebookfacebook.com/timeline
• Instagraminstagram.com/creationent
• TikToktiktok.com/@creationentertainment
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/creation-entertainment

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Creation Entertainment