Women Shake Up Music and Sports: StubHub Launches Report on 2023 Year in Live Experiences

Comparable to the ringmaster of an online ticket exchange, StubHub is an internet marketplace where excited young tourists may purchase tickets for any kind of event, including sports passes, concerts, and theater admissions.

Picture a world where ticket-buying is an extreme sport, and StubHub is the fearless referee. Founded way back in the year 2000, StubHub rolled up its sleeves and became the maestro of the ticket resale market, making it the go-to spot for thrill-seeking ticket enthusiasts.

StubHub Releases its 2023 Year in Live Experiences Report

Earlier in December, StubHub released its 2023 Year in Live Experiences report. It highlighted the events and patterns that set this year apart, including the top-selling live music and sports experiences worldwide. The annual report highlights a year filled with firsts and achievements, including Taylor Swift shattering sales records, amazing feats in women’s sports, and extensive travel abroad.

Highlights

Highlights include Taylor Swift’s largest tour in StubHub history and the fact that female performers account for 73% of all purchases for the top 10 touring acts worldwide.

Women’s sports advance: sales of women’s soccer doubled over 2022, the Liberty and Aces played in the highest-selling WNBA Finals in StubHub history, and the Women’s Final Four was more expensive than the men’s competition.

Vegas changed the meaning of attending a live event: Vegas, the top destination for tourists, epitomized immersive entertainment, from sports teams with passionate supporters to Adele’s multi-month residency and an F1 show on the strip. Since its debut, 91 different nations have sent guests to The Sphere, the most immersive venue to date.

Messi’s presence energizes the league: After his arrival, Inter Miami became the most sought-after club in the league. He also increased demand on the road, with IMCF away games ranking in the top six MLS games of the season. Sales for the MLS season increased by 160%, while sales from purchasers outside the United States increased by 220%.

Taylor is a big seller for the NFL:

Fans became more interested in Chiefs home games after her debut in Kansas City. The Chiefs achieved the most single-day ticket sales on StubHub since the season began the day following her apperance at the Chiefs-Bears game.

What’s next:

Women’s sports leagues will grow, college football will get a makeover, and American consumers will fly overseas for the “Eras Tour,” which will invade Europe in the summer of 2024. Top-selling musicians for 2024 include Taylor Swift, Coldplay, and Olivia Rodrigo.

“This year’s continued demand for tickets sold on our platform underscores the value fans place on live events, particularly when they travel,” said Cris Miller, chief business officer, StubHub. “This year’s top global touring artists were women and it’s no surprise that Taylor Swift led sales with the biggest tour in StubHub history. Looking back on sports, we saw dominant players and personalities drive interest and demand for teams and leagues – from the Kelce brothers at the Super Bowl to Coach Prime in Colorado and even Taylor Swift.” 

Top Traveling Countries

1. U.S.
2. Canada
3. United Kingdom
4. Germany
5. France
6. Mexico
7. Switzerland
8. Spain
9. Netherlands
10. Australia

*Countries are ranked by greatest number of tickets purchased by buyers in that country for 2023 events outside of the country the buyers reside in, for sales on StubHub North America and/or viagogo international marketplaces, as of November 28, 2023. Sales for events in the U.K. occur on viagogo only – StubHub North America does not list tickets for U.K. events.

Top In-Demand Global Touring Artists*

1. Taylor Swift
2. Beyoncé
3. Morgan Wallen
4. Adele
5. Coldplay
6. Bruce Springsteen
7. U2
8. Drake
9. P!NK
10. Ed Sheeran

*Ranking based on cumulative, global ticket sales on StubHub North America and viagogo international marketplaces for events in 2023 as of November 28, 2023.

2023 Global Touring Insights

• Taylor Swift’s “Eras Tour” is the biggest in StubHub history: She is the most searched artist of the year on StubHub with 127% more views than Coldplay, the second most-searched act.
• Back-to-back appearances: Coldplay (down from #2), Morgan Wallen (up from #6) and Adele (up from #5) all made the top in-demand artist list on StubHub in 2022.
• Lone country artist (in top 10): Morgan Wallen outsold the next highest-selling country artist, Luke Combs (at #11) by 36%.

Top In-Demand Global Sporting Experiences*

1. World Series (Rangers-Diamondbacks)
2. Super Bowl LVII (Eagles-Chiefs)**
3. Las Vegas GP F1
4. NBA Finals (Nuggets-Heat)
5. College Football Playoff National Championship (Georgia-TCU)**
6. Miami GP F1
7. Canada GP F1
8. U.S. GP F1 (Austin)
9. U.S. Open Tennis Finals and Semifinals
10. Stanley Cup Finals (Panthers-Golden Knights)

*Ranking based on cumulative, global ticket sales on StubHub North America and viagogo international marketplaces for events in 2023, as of November 28, 2023.

**denotes single-day event

Looking Ahead – Top Global Experiences in 2024 

1. Taylor Swift
2. Coldplay
3. Olivia Rodrigo
4. Bruce Springsteen
5. Zach Bryan
6. Morgan Wallen
7. Madonna
8. Matt Rife
9. Billy Joel
10. Aerosmith

*Ranking based on cumulative, global ticket sales on StubHub North America and viagogo international marketplaces for events in 2024 as of November 28, 2023.

Deeper data and insights from the Year in Live Experiences can be found in the full report at stubhub.com/2023inreview.

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