Livenation CEO Thinks Tickets Are Still Underpriced & AI Ticketing Is The Future

[RAMROD 118,229]

 

CEO Michael Rapino and Smith Entertainment Group CEO Ryan Smith said this week that live events are more central than ever to culture and commerce in a post-pandemic world.

According to Goldman Sachs, the live music industry is expected to grow at a 7.2% compounded annual rate through 2030, fueled by Millennials and Gen Z.

Smith bought the NBA’s Utah Jazz in 2020 and launched a new NHL franchise in the state in 2024.

“In sports, we’re really media companies,” Smith said. “We’ve got talent, we’ve got distribution. We’re putting on a show or a wedding or something every night.”

Rapino also emphasized how the economics of music have shifted. With streaming revenue dwarfed by touring income, live shows have become a primary source of revenue for artists.

“The artist is going to make 98% of their money from the show,” he said. “We just did Beyonce’s tour. She’s got 62 transport trucks outside. That’s a Super Bowl she’s putting on every night.”

Despite headlines about rising ticket prices, Rapino argued that concerts are still underpriced compared to sporting events.

“In sports, I joke it’s like a badge of honor to spend [$70,000] for Knicks courtside,” Rapino said. “When you read about the ticket prices going up, it’s still an average concert price [of] $72. Try going to a Laker game for that, and there’s 80 of them [in a season].”

The cost of admission for movies, theaters and concerts rose 3.4% in August from a year earlier, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ consumer price index data, outpacing the full index’s increase of 2.9%. Meanwhile, the cost of admission for sporting events last month fell 0.5%, compared to the same time last year.

Rapino also said technology, including AI-driven ticketing, could make buying tickets smoother.

“Most websites are going to be challenged in the future, as you’re going to use that chatbot,” Rapino said. “We think ticketing, and how you find that ticket and how you can get that ticket, needs to be improved.”

 

https://www.cnbc.com/2025/09/17/live-nation-ceo-demand-concert-tickets-underpriced.html

[Franch Toast 27,816]

Down with billionaires. 

[Guest]

Go to your hell demon

[timdrake 2,954]

kiss my entire ass, livenation 

[Nagini 4,303]

I agree. Gaga deserves the highest grossing tour of all time. Open up those piggy banks and purchase for once @theentirefanbase. 

[Rahrahbitchson 23,666]

F*ck YOU, you sick twisted WHITE DEMON 

Spoiler

Nahh i dont really care, just wanted to keep the hate train going 

 

[Bobina 3,336]

[Gagaism 12,493]

Im sorry but the Mayhem Ball is probably the last concert ill keep on trying really hard to attend from a a-list contender. And that’s all because it’s Gaga, I mean, I’m a true fan who’s here through all the good and the bad and also for the love I have for her and her art.
Otherwise, if industry is gonna keep going with it this way, then no more money coming from me. 

[weed 79,411]

ditch the concealer and book a flight to Turkey, bozo

[Ziggy 14,350]

I mean he has black eyes…so that checks out 

[Hadrian 2,827]

greedy prick.

also why does he look like that

[LauraPalmer 1,773]

i think my days of concerts are pretty much behind me - i was extremely lucky to attend Mayhem Ball and even luckier to score face value tickets to the last date so i get to experience it one last time. but for the most part i’m priced out of these events and i hate giving my hard earned money to people like this. thank god i’m seeing Gaga and Ariana next year so if that’s it for me, i go out on a high note

[Lord Mayhem 3,726]

Underpriced??? Is he insane???

At this point concerts are becoming more and more for the super rich elites...

[nATAH 58,597]

51 minutes ago, Nagini said:

I agree. Gaga deserves the highest grossing tour of all time. Open up those piggy banks and purchase for once @theentirefanbase. 

but that's the problem, we can't

[faysalaaa 5,383]

So hes shocked that different things costs different prices? lol thats the free market and he doesnt like it