\n<\/p>\n
\n\tThe live entertainment industry in 2025 is defined by its contradictions. Concerts seem to be more popular than ever, yet for every successful run, there\u2019s a growing number of tours being canceled<\/a> for financial reasons<\/a>. Post-Covid inflation has driven up prices everywhere, including the cost of putting on a great tour, leading to higher ticket prices.<\/p>\n \n\tSpeaking last week at CNBC and Boardroom\u2019s \u201cGame Plan\u201d conference<\/a>, Live Nation<\/a> CEO Michael Rapino took a rosier outlook, insisting that the demand for live entertainment has never been higher, and tickets are \u201cunderpriced.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cMusic has been underappreciated,\u201d Rapino said, especially compared to sports. \u201cIn sports, I joke it\u2019s like a badge of honor to spend 70 grand for a Knicks courtside [seat]. They beat me up if we charge $800 for Beyonc\u00e9.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tHe added, \u201cWe have a lot of runway left. So when you read about ticket prices going up, the average concert price is still $72. Try going to a Laker game for that, and there\u2019s 80 of them. The concert is underpriced and has been for a long time.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tBut many fans may not feel like Rapino\u2019s assessment of the situation matches their experience as concertgoers and ticket buyers.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tConsidering all the different types of concerts that take place, calculating the average ticket price is somewhat difficult. Pollastar \u2014 the live entertainment trade publication \u2014 said in its 2024 year-end report<\/a> that the average cost of a ticket to the top 100 worldwide tours was $135.92, while the average cost of a ticket to a top 100 tour in North America was $136.45.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tIn the same report, Pollstar said the average ticket price for a stadium show was $128.64, for an arena $98.78, an amphitheater $70.72, a theater $75.09, and a club $43.95. Take the average of those figures, and you get a price of about $83, which is closer to Rapino\u2019s $72 estimate.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tEven if Rapino did argue that concerts are still \u201cunderpriced,\u201d he did acknowledge that prices are rising. Much of that is due to the type of production many of the world\u2019s biggest artists aim for. He noted that Beyonc\u00e9 had \u201c62 transport trucks\u201d on her recent tour: \u201cThat\u2019s a Super Bowl she\u2019s putting on every night,\u201d he said. \u201cTen years ago, there might\u2019ve been 10 trucks.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n