Promoters of Performing Arts and Sports Events NAICS 711310, 711320

Dec 28, 2025 - Slower Growth Forecast

• 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.
• Consumer sentiment in December 2025 showed a cautious economic outlook, creating headwinds for promoters of performing arts and sporting events. The University of Michigan Sentiment Index rose modestly to 52.9, but remained well below year earlier levels, and 63% of consumers still expected unemployment to increase. The Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index also declined to 89.1, reflecting weaker views of current conditions and continued uncertainty about the year ahead. For promoters, the environment signals softer demand for discretionary entertainment, slower advance ticket sales, and heightened price sensitivity. Premium or high cost experiences may face the most pressure, while value oriented events, flexible pricing, and localized programming are likely to perform more steadily as consumers weigh spending more carefully.

• The FTC and multiple state attorneys general have filed a lawsuit against Live Nation and Ticketmaster, alleging deceptive practices and illegal ticket resales that inflated prices and restricted consumer access, according to CBS News. For promoters of performing arts and sporting events, the case, filed in September 2025, could reshape the ticketing landscape. Ticketmaster controls some 80% of the tickets sold by major venues, according to the FTC. Allegations of monopolistic control and bait-and-switch pricing raise concerns about transparency, artist autonomy, and equitable access. If successful, the suit may lead to increased competition among ticketing platforms, offering promoters more flexibility in pricing, distribution, and audience engagement.
• According to Pollstar’s mid-year business analysis, year-over-year average per show grosses and ticket sales were up significantly while overall numbers, ticket prices, and shows fell. The Top 100 Tours Worldwide posted a double-digit increase in average revenue per show mid-year, up 24.9% year over year reaching $1,713,557. Ticket sales were also up 32.1% mid-year over the prior year, reaching an average of 14,229. The report revealed that average ticket prices were down 5.5% in the period, reaching $120.43. “That drop, in part, would seem, to reflect 2025’s uneven economic conditions marred by trade wars, a volatile stock market, shaky consumer confidence, inflation and mixed employment reports,” the report noted. The number of reported live performances was also down in the period, falling 26.7% during the first half of the year.