RWS Entertainment Group

What RWS Entertainment Group does

RWS Entertainment Group, doing business as RWS Global, is a U.S.-based, private full-service live entertainment and sports production company founded in 2003 and headquartered in New York. It delivers ideation-through-operation services — creative development, scenic fabrication, talent casting, technical production, and on-site event management — to sports properties, entertainment and media providers, cruise lines, theme parks, museums, zoos, and attractions. The company's core offering is project-based professional services sold as multi-disciplinary production engagements to enterprise clients across multiple experiential verticals.

RWS has expanded its capabilities and footprint through three acquisitions: JRA (a Cincinnati-based visitor experience design firm, November 2021), The Experience Department (TED, an immersive guest experience studio, April 2022), and Harmony Helper (a talent acquisition platform, 2025). In 2026 the company invested in a UK production hub in Milton Keynes to serve European cruise and attraction clients, and entered technology partnerships with Box (for an AI-ready content management platform) and Snapchat (for computer-vision-powered AR overlays, with NC Zoo cited as an early deployment). Underlying technology components are limited: AR via a third-party platform (Snapchat) and AI-adjacent content workflows via a SaaS partner (Box), with no evidence of proprietary models or a data flywheel.

The business model is professional services revenue earned on project or program contracts with enterprise buyers; pricing is not publicly disclosed. Customers include Sydney Kings, Color Line, Fred. Olsen, Merlin, World Fencing League, NC Zoo, Yas Island, Holland America, and IMS Museum, indicating a diversified mix of long-cycle, event- or attraction-based engagements rather than subscription SaaS revenue.

Name

RWS Entertainment Group

Website

https://rwsnyc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

RWS Entertainment Group, operating as RWS Global, is a U.S.-based full-service live entertainment and sports production firm delivering ideation-through-operation services to sports properties, cruise lines, theme parks, museums, zoos, and attractions worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Entertainment Production Services

NAICS

Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71), Performing Arts Companies (7111), Industrial Design Services (54142)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Allied To Motion Picture Production (7819)

akta.pro primary industry

Event Production & Technical Services (AV/Lighting/Staging) (MPAAAGAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Event Strategy & Experience Design (BPAFAGAA), Corporate Event Production & A/V Services (Staging, Lighting, Sound) (MPAGAHAN), Event Theming, Mood Boards & Concept Design (HSACAOAH)

Keywords

• Live entertainment production
• Experience design services
• Sports event presentation
• Themed attraction design
• Immersive experience design

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Live Entertainment Production Services: Full-service live entertainment production from concept to operation for sports and entertainment venues globally. Revenue generated through project-based engagements with major brands, attractions, cruise lines, and sporting events.
2. Experience Design and Fabrication: Creative design, fabrication, and implementation of visitor experiences for attractions and themed entertainment venues.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

RWS Entertainment Group designs and produces live entertainment and sports experiences from ideation through operation for clients including sports properties, cruise lines, theme parks, attractions, and global brands. Through its subsidiaries it offers visitor experience design (JRA), immersive guest experience design (The Experience Department), mobile communications and payroll tools for entertainment crews (Harmony Helper), and end-to-end live event production (RWS Global).

Product overview

RWS Global operates as a unified platform-plus-services company offering end-to-end live entertainment and sports production. The core offering is RWS Global itself, providing live event production, immersive experiences, and sports entertainment services from ideation to operation globally. The company has expanded through strategic acquisitions including JRA (visitor experience design), The Experience Department/ted (immersive guest experiences, design, fabrication, seasonal entertainment), and Harmony Helper (talent acquisition for performers). These acquired brands operate as specialized divisions within the RWS Global portfolio, enabling the company to offer comprehensive services spanning creative design, fabrication, immersive technology, live production, and talent management—providing a complete value chain from concept development through final execution.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• RWS Global live entertainment production End-to-end live entertainment and sports experience production services from ideation to operation, serving sports properties, cruise lines, attractions, and major brands globally.
• JRA visitor experience design Visitor and guest experience design services including master planning and experience strategy for theme parks, attractions, zoos, and museums. Delivered through JRA, an RWS subsidiary.
• The Experience Department (TED) immersive guest experiences Immersive guest experience design and production including augmented reality tracking experiences and themed environments for attractions, brands, and venues.
• Harmony Helper mobile workforce platform Real-time mobile payroll and crew communications platform built for entertainment production teams, brought into the RWS portfolio through the acquisition of Harmony Helper.

Quantifiable outcome

• Comprehensive service offering from concept to implementation
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

AI capability3 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Merlin EntertainmentscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Partnership with Merlin Entertainments and Fever to launch Super Neon, a feel-good immersive experience. This is a multi-partner collaboration combining Merlin's attractions with RWS's production expertise and Fever's experience platform.
• FevercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Fever is a key partner in the Super Neon immersive experience launch, providing the platform for experience discovery and promotion alongside Merlin Entertainments and RWS Global.
• Color LinecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Color Line partnered with RWS Global to bring new shows to cruises, beginning with Color Magic. RWS Global leads cruise entertainment production for the ferry operator.
• Fred. Olsen Cruise LinescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines announced new entertainment partnership with RWS Global, expanding cruise entertainment services to another major cruise operator.
• Sydney KingscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Sydney Kings extended their partnership with RWS Global, continuing live event production and fan experience enhancement for the Australian basketball team.
• SnapchatcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2026RWS Global and Snapchat team up on in-stadium AR experiences at global sporting events, combining RWS's live event expertise with Snapchat's augmented reality technology.
• NC ZoocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026RWS Global partnered with North Carolina Zoo to launch groundbreaking AR tracking experience in the upcoming Asia expansion project.
• BoxcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2026RWS Global chose Box to power AI-ready content management for live experiences, enabling better content organization and AI capabilities.
• World Fencing LeaguecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026RWS Global to lead live event production for the new World Fencing League, providing comprehensive production services for international fencing competitions.
• Harmony HelpercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026RWS Global acquired Harmony Helper, expanding their suite of entertainment services and talent solutions.
• The Experience Department (ted)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 April 2022RWS Entertainment Group acquired The Experience Department (ted), expanding global entertainment services with expertise in immersive guest experiences, design, fabrication, and seasonal entertainment.
• JRAcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 November 2021RWS Entertainment Group acquired JRA, a creative studio specializing in visitor experience design. The acquisition enables RWS to create a full-service provider for attractions and entertainment globally, combining RWS's operational expertise with JRA's design capabilities.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rws-global
• Instagraminstagram.com/rwsglobalofficial
• Xx.com/rwsnyc
• Facebookfacebook.com/rwsentgroup

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A2 records

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about RWS Entertainment Group