Core Insights - StubHub went public with an IPO price of $23.50, closing 6% below that price, which values the company at over $7 billion, highlighting the perseverance of its co-founder Eric Baker [1] Company History - StubHub was co-founded by Eric Baker and Jeff Fluhr in 2000 during their time at Stanford, shortly after the dotcom bubble burst [1] - Baker was pushed out of the company in 2004 due to differences in vision with Fluhr [2] - In 2005, Baker founded Viagogo in London, aiming to merge it with StubHub in the future [3] - In 2019, eBay spun off StubHub, and Baker acquired it for $4.05 billion with backing from investors [3] Impact of COVID-19 - The COVID-19 pandemic severely impacted StubHub, leading to a collapse in revenue due to the cancellation of live events [4][6] - The company managed to survive the pandemic and saw a significant rebound in revenue as live events resumed [6] Recent Performance - StubHub's revenue grew by 10% to $397.6 million in Q1 2025 compared to the same period last year, driven by high-demand events like Taylor Swift's Eras Tour and the Super Bowl [6] - Baker reflected on the company's journey and challenges faced, including the impact of COVID-19 [7] Ownership Structure - Eric Baker owns 4.7% of StubHub, while investors Madrone Partners, WestCap, and Bessemer Venture Partners hold 24.5%, 12.3%, and 8.8% respectively [7]
Eric Baker's long, winding road to taking StubHub public