Promoters of Performing Arts and Sports Events NAICS 711310, 711320

Feb 23, 2026 - Promoters Navigate Uneven 2025 Demand: Survey

• 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.
• US promoters of performing arts and sports events face a challenging demand environment as consumer confidence and sentiment remain subdued, according to leading indicators. The Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index fell 9.7 points in January to 84.5, its lowest level since 2014—while the Expectations Index dropped to 65.1, well below the recession-warning threshold of 80. The Present Situation Index declined to 113.7, with only 15.6% of consumers expecting business conditions to improve and 28.5% anticipating fewer jobs. University of Michigan data show consumer sentiment at 57.3 in February, roughly 11–12% below a year ago, with concerns about high prices and job security widespread. Consumers also reported weaker plans for discretionary spending and services overall, even as restaurants and some travel categories showed resilience. For event promoters reliant on ticket sales, sponsorships, and discretionary spending, persistent economic pessimism and recession fears could dampen attendance, advance ticket purchases, and premium event spending in the months ahead.

• 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.
• 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.