{{item.videoDuration}}
{{item.title}}
{{item.text}}
{{item.videoDuration}}
{{item.text}}
Global sports ticketing is on a steep upward trajectory with many leagues, teams, and live-event platforms reporting gains. Over the past few years, many major organizations have posted record or near-record results. Formula 1 has more than doubled global race attendance compared to pre-pandemic levels, and UEFA and FIFA events have repeatedly set new ticketing benchmarks. Some primary and resale platforms have disclosed double-digit growth as well.
Viewed together, these signals suggest that the market is evolving in line with sectors that have historically doubled in size over five to seven years—driven less by added seat volume and more by new access models. Flexible memberships, curated subscription bundles, and more structured resale ecosystems are helping redefine how fans experience live events, and they’re helping create steadier, year-round demand. There are several macro forces supporting the global ticket boom. With demand for in-person entertainment on the rise, and leagues exploring new markets and formats, digital ticketing adoption is scaling fast, helping streamline purchase, verification, resales, and payments. Together, these shifts reflect patterns seen across other live entertainment sectors.
But the industry’s growth also magnifies longstanding challenges around pricing transparency. Many fans continue to express frustration with opaque fees and unpredictable resale markups, concerns that have already triggered regulatory action. The FTC’s new rule requiring all-in pricing, and recent commitments from major ticketing platforms under the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority underscore the mounting pressure for clarity and fairness.
At the same time, demand for live events remains resilient. PwC’s fan experience study shows that affluent newer generation fans are highly engaged. More than half attend live sports monthly, and 60% are willing to pay $250+ for premium events, with 20% willing to spend more than $1,000.
Growth will depend less on raising base prices and more on reframing the value of a ticket. Teams and venues that emphasize bundled experiences, loyalty-driven perks, and transparent models can be better positioned to sustain demand and recover volume. By shifting from price extraction to value creation, properties can navigate pricing pressures while helping build the trust that underpins long-term loyalty.
From season tickets to membership programs
Season tickets have long been the backbone of live sports, providing teams with predictable revenue and fans with guaranteed access. But the model is changing. Instead of rigid commitments, many of today’s organizations are reimagining tickets as flexible memberships and subscription passes that blend stability with choice. At the same time, they’re layering in perks, credits, and loyalty benefits to increase perceived value and offset pricing pressures. Together, these strategies are helping transform ticketing from one-off transactions into ongoing memberships.
The St. Louis Cardinals (MLB) launched the Budweiser Ballpark Pass in 2025. For a monthly fee, fans can attend most home games with a standing-room ticket delivered digitally through the MLB app.
The San Jose Sharks (NHL) offer a tiered season membership program with playoff priority, discounts on concessions and merchandise, and flexible options that allow tickets to be exchanged or returned for credit.
The Golden State Warriors (NBA) have created Dub Club and Chase Center Membership. Dub Club membership offers presale access, discounts and other perks, while the Chase Center Membership was an innovative program to help fund construction of the Chase Center. It combines priority access and loyalty rewards with a 30-year membership that repays deposits at term end—effectively treating fans like investors in the arena experience.
Atlanta United (MLS) adds a Ticket Sell-Back option, helping members convert unused seats into credits for the following season, confirming that value isn’t lost if fans can’t attend.
For fans, the value is no longer just a seat, but a bundle of access, perks, and flexibility that feels fair. For teams, these models help stabilize attendance, recover volume, and create new ways to manage pricing pressures while building long-term loyalty.
Global momentum
The growth of ticketing is uneven but expanding worldwide.
As of the 2025 season, the NFL will play seven regular season games1 overseas and, after a six-year hiatus, the NBA has returned to China2 for preseason games.
Expansion of major global tournaments (World Cup, Olympics, Premier Leagues) and rising investment in sports infrastructure are fueling the boom.
The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup in the US illustrates both opportunity and risk. Nearly 1.5 million tickets were sold,3 with high-profile matches at venues like the Rose Bowl and Hard Rock Stadium drawing as many as 60,000 to 80,000 fans. Yet many games underperformed in attendance, with some group-stage matches filling just 30% of stadium capacity, leaving more than a million seats empty across the tournament. By contrast, when major competitions are staged outside the US, whether Premier League matches in Asia or NFL games in Europe and Mexico, they usually sell out, underscoring the strong demand for marquee international events in overseas markets.
This contrast suggests that while the global market is expanding, success cannot be guaranteed everywhere. Growth often depends on tailoring access models to local fan bases: piloting new membership and subscription formats in fast-growing regions, while refining loyalty programs and value propositions in mature markets where supply often exceeds demand. The appetite for global tournaments remains undeniable. More than 4.5 million fans from 216 countries entered the Visa Presale Draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup during its first phase, a signal that demand for the world’s biggest events continues to far outpace supply.
The road ahead
By 2030, ticketing will likely be defined not by transactions but by trust, flexibility, and digital identity. Leagues that reimagine tickets as subscriptions, bundles, and gateways to experience can capture sustainable growth.
Risks remain. Overly complex pricing, confusing tier structures, and uneven regulation of resale could alienate fans. But for sports organizations willing to embrace transparency and innovate with fan-first ecosystems, ticketing is poised to become a powerful engine of loyalty and sustained demand recovery.
{{filterContent.facetedTitle}}
{{contentList.loadingText}}
{{contentList.loadingText}}
Follow us
