Live Nation is claiming that the majority of music fans would take seeing their favorite artist in concert over having sex.
In a new report, the live entertainment company said that in a survey of 40,000 people, nearly four in 10 survey-takers saying they'd prefer concerts over movies and sports. Taking it one step further, over 70 percent reportedly said they'd rather see their favorite artist live than get laid.
The statistics aren't surprising, considering that concert tickets have become so expensive that musicians including Jack Antonoff and Hayley Williams have commented on the matter.
"I'm just, like, sorry you had to pay this much to come and see us," Williams said during a chat with Antonoff for Rolling Stone last month.
"This report confirms what we’re seeing on the ground everywhere," stated Russell Wallach, Live Nation’s global president of media and sponsorship. "Live music isn’t just growing, it’s shaping economies, influencing brands, and defining culture in real time. Fans have made live the heartbeat of global entertainment, and it’s now one of the most powerful forces driving connection and growth worldwide."
Last month, Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino claimed that concert tickets are underpriced despite what a majority of modern concertgoers think.
“In sports, I joke it’s like a badge of honor to spend [$70,000] for Knicks courtside,” Rapino said during the CNBC Sport and Boardroom’s Game Plan conference. "They beat me up if we charge $800 for Beyoncé."
"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]," he continued.
Meanwhile, in September, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) sued Ticketmaster and Live Nation, accusing the companies of customer deception using "bait and switch" techniques and collaborating with resellers to inflate ticket prices.
The FTC alleges that the companies have "reaped massive profits by misrepresenting the total price of tickets to consumers, who pay billions of dollars each year in mandatory fees not reflected in the list price."
