LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Leading live event ticket marketplace viagogo has released its second annual Year in Live Experiences Report - a wrap up of the live events that dominated the industry. From Taylor Swift to the Euros, 2024 was a stellar year for live events that saw unprecedented demand from fans.
Economic contribution to UK Economy
The UK secondary ticket market was shown to be an important contributor to the local economy, connecting fans from across the globe and supporting 7,736 full time jobs while driving revenue generation in various sectors dependent on the live events industry. With almost three-quarters of a billion pounds (£733m)* contributed to the UK economy between 2023-24, secondary ticketing helped boost turnover to local industries generated by fan spending on hospitality, travel, retail and other sectors connected to live experiences.
Taylor's Era Dominates as UK Fans Go Global
Taylor Swift emerged as the undisputed queen of live entertainment in the UK. Fans demonstrated their spontaneity, with 42% of ticket sales for her UK tour being purchased on viagogo just a month before the show and over a quarter (26%) snapped up in the final week. The phenomenon contributed significantly to London's position as a global entertainment hub, while also inspiring thousands of British "gig-trippers" to travel internationally for her shows.
At number two, Liam flew the flag for the Gallagher brothers this year ahead of their hotly-anticipated Oasis reunion, selling enough tickets on viagogo to fill Manchester Arena for his ‘Definitely Maybe 30 Years’ tour.
Ranked: Top Selling Artists in the U.K. in 2024
- Taylor Swift
- Liam Gallagher
- Foo Fighters
- Bruce Springsteen
- P!NK
Ranking based on cumulative ticket sales by UK-based fans on viagogo in 2024 as of November 22, 2024.
Gig-tripping and Experiences
In 2024, the gig-tripping trend soared as UK fans embraced travel to catch live events, with hundreds of fans flying abroad each week to catch their favourite act. Coldplay fans racked up an incredible 18.8 million miles attending the band’s global tour, flocking to cities like Budapest, Rome and Munich. Adele’s UK based supporters, meanwhile, collectively travelled 2.2 million miles to see her Munich residency.
Top destinations for gig-tripping UK fans included the US, Germany and Spain, to see iconic events like the Super Bowl, Euros 2024 and Taylor’s record-breaking Eras Tour. As the demand for unforgettable live experiences grows, international gig-tripping is set to continue in 2025.
Ranked: Top International Destinations (& Events) for U.K. Fans Abroad
- Rome, Six Nations and Coldplay
- Amsterdam, Taylor Swift and AC/DC
- Madrid, Taylor Swift and El Clasico
- New York, T20 World Cup and Taylor Swift
- Lisbon, Taylor Swift
Ranking based on cumulative ticket sales by UK-based fans on viagogo for events in 2024 as of November 22, 2024.
Boxing Brits, NFL Continues to Touch Down and the Push to Esports
For Brits, boxing continues to thrive, with the IFB heavyweight title bout between Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium ranking as the most sought after sporting event on viagogo in 2024.
Three of the top five most in-demand sporting events on viagogo were NFL games hosted at Wembley Stadium and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium - where 36 of the NFL’s 44 international encounters have been held. The UK has seen a 38 per cent year-on-year increase in ticket sales for NFL games, the biggest increase outside of North America.
This year showed that it’s not just physical sports generating demand, but Esports has seen a rise in popularity - The League of Legends World Championship Finals became the fifth best-selling UK sports event on viagogo in 2024.
Ranked: Top Selling Sporting Events in the U.K. in 2024
- Boxing, Anthony Josuha vs Daniel Dubois
- NFL, New England Patriots vs Jacksonville Jaguars
- NFL, New York Jets vs Minnesota Vikings
- NFL, Jacksonville Jaguars vs Chicago Bears
- Esports, The League of Legends World Championship Finals
Ranking based on cumulative ticket sales for a UK sporting event on viagogo in 2024 as of November 22, 2024.
Looking forward to 2025
The momentum of 2024 shows no signs of slowing. Global icons like Coldplay and Oasis together amassed over 3 million ticket searches during their on-sale release weeks, allowing fans to buy on their own time without needing to wait in virtual queues. Similarly, Sabrina Carpenter’s page views on viagogo skyrocketed by a whopping 16,000% over the past year. The trio are set to dominate UK stages in 2025.
Matt Drew, Business Development Lead at viagogo says:
"Music and sports enthusiasts are driving significant growth in travel, accommodation, and retail, fueled by the resurgence of live events. In 2024, the UK’s live scene has come back roaring. More than ever, fans want flexibility, including the option to buy tickets closer to the event date and outside the restricted on-sale windows.
“Safe and regulated platforms like viagogo are crucial in keeping venues lively and packed, contributing significantly to the local economy. We look forward to helping fans access many more unforgettable live events in 2025.”
NOTES TO EDITORS
Fan demand is based on ticket sales data on the viagogo platform collated between 1 January 2024 - 22 November 2024.
Top Selling Artists in the U.K. in 2024
- Taylor Swift
- Liam Gallagher
- Foo Fighters
- Bruce Springsteen
- P!NK
- AC/DC
- Take That
- Diljit Dosanjh
- Olivia Rodrigo
- Chris Stapleton
Ranking based on cumulative ticket sales by UK-based fans on viagogo in 2024 as of November 22, 2024.
Top Selling Sporting Events in the U.K. in 2024
- Boxing, Anthony Josuha vs Daniel Dubois
- NFL, New England Patriots vs Jacksonville Jaguars
- NFL, New York Jets vs Minnesota Vikings
- NFL, Jacksonville Jaguars vs Chicago Bears
- Esports, The League of Legends World Championship Finals
Ranking based on cumulative ticket sales for a UK sporting event on viagogo in 2024 as of November 22, 2024.
Top International Events U.K. Fans Travelled For
- Spain vs England European Championship Final in Germany
- Tomorrowland 2024 Festival in Belgium
- Italy vs England Guinness Six Nations 2024 in Italy
- Coldplay in cities across Austria, Hungary and Italy
- Italy vs Albania European Championship in Germany
Ranking based on cumulative ticket sales on viagogo for UK-based fans traveling internationally for events in 2024 as of November 22, 2024.
About viagogo
viagogo is the world’s leading marketplace to buy and sell tickets to any live event, anywhere. Through viagogo internationally and StubHub, our platform in North America, we service customers in 200 countries + territories in 33 languages and 48 available currencies. With more than 300 million tickets available to events around the world annually -- from sports to music, comedy to dance, festivals to theater -- viagogo offers the safest, most convenient way to buy or sell tickets to the most memorable live experiences.
