Promoters of Performing Arts and Sports Events NAICS 711310, 711320

Apr 22, 2026 - Ticketing Verdict Signals Shift for Promoters

• Live Nation and Ticketmaster are now heading into a remedies phase that could bring real change, ranging from tighter rules on exclusive contracts and clearer pricing to even a forced breakup of their ticketing, promotion, and venue businesses, according to a Forbes report. For US promoters of performing arts and sports events, that could mean more freedom to choose partners and better access to venues and ticketing platforms. A federal jury found the company liable for monopolizing the US concert ticketing market, reinforcing concerns about its market power. The jury concluded that Live Nation’s control across the ecosystem limited competition and helped drive higher fees across millions of ticket sales. While the company pointed to strong demand and record attendance, regulators are clearly stepping up oversight, reinforced by a $9.9 million settlement and likely appeals ahead. Overall, this decision could mark a turning point toward a more open and competitive live events market.
• US promoters of performing arts and sports events face a mixed demand outlook as consumer spending trends shift, according to March's Consumer Checkpoint from the Bank of America Institute. Total card spending per household rose 4.3% year-over-year in March 2026, the strongest growth since early 2023, with discretionary services—such as travel, leisure, and entertainment—contributing 1.9 percentage points to growth. However, rising gasoline prices (+16.5% month-over-month) are pressuring budgets, particularly for lower-income households, where discretionary spending is softening. Higher-income consumers, with spending up 3.9% year over year versus 2.2% for lower-income groups, continue to drive demand for events. While larger tax refunds are temporarily boosting discretionary purchases, the “K-shaped” spending pattern suggests promoters may see uneven attendance, with premium events outperforming mass-market offerings in the near term.

• Pollstar’s 2025 Year End Executive Survey shows a bifurcated year for US promoters of live entertainment and sports-adjacent events. While some tours and residencies set records, others faced soft ticket sales tied to inflation, higher prices and shaky consumer confidence. Stephen Chilton produced 750+ shows, yet described results as “Home Runs or Blah,” reflecting uneven demand. Per the survey, multi-night runs proved critical to profitability: Shakira played 12 sold-out nights in Mexico City; Usher sold 10 at London’s O2; Dead & Company reached 48 shows at Sphere, while Eagles announced 56. International expansion and stadium tours drove growth, with artists selling 240,000 tickets in minutes in China and adding global festival plays. Still, executives cited rising labor, production and touring costs, forcing more strategic pricing and routing. For US promoters, 2025 underscored that premium, multi-night and globally scaled events remain strong, but oversaturation, economic headwinds and pricing sensitivity are pressuring margins heading into 2026.
• The US promoters of performing arts and sports events industry is projected to grow at a CAGR of 3.54% between 2025 and 2029, according to an updated forecast from Inforum and the Interindustry Economic Research Fund, Inc. The industry’s expected growth rate is slower than the overall economy‘s anticipated growth. Consumer sentiment is expected to improve in the forecast period, which bodes well for the sector. Live entertainment attendance has improved significantly since the pandemic, but the extent of recovery remains to be seen. Further increases in tariffs and decreases in immigrant labor supplies may push price levels higher and postpone improvement of inflation. The slow rise of employment and higher consumption prices may limit expansion of real disposable income to about 1.8% in 2025 and 1.6% in 2026.