Ticketmaster is the largest primary ticket outlet and ticketing company in the United States. Founded in 1976, it sells tickets for concerts, sports, arts and theater events on behalf of event organizers through its website and mobile apps. Ticketmaster has long dominated the primary ticket sales market, especially for major concerts and events. But what percentage of the overall ticketing market does Ticketmaster control today? Let’s take a deep dive into Ticketmaster’s market share.
Ticketmaster’s Market Position
Ticketmaster sells tickets through its website, mobile apps, and retail outlets for thousands of events and venues across North America. It has exclusive ticketing agreements with many major venues, sports teams, and promoters.
Some key facts about Ticketmaster’s market position:
– Ticketmaster has ticket resale partnerships with NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB. It is the exclusive ticketing provider for 29/30 NBA teams, 30/32 NFL teams, and 28/30 MLB teams.
– Ticketmaster provides ticketing services for large music events like Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits, and Coachella music festivals.
– It has exclusive agreements with large concert promoters like Live Nation and AEG Presents.
– Ticketmaster has deals with hundreds of theaters, music halls, and other venues across North America.
– It sells tickets for championship fighting events like UFC and WWE.
– Ticketmaster powers ticketing for Broadway shows, Cirque du Soleil, Disney on Ice, and other live entertainment events.
This level of exclusive partnerships gives Ticketmaster significant power across live events ticketing. Now let’s look at some numbers on its market share.
Ticketmaster’s Share of Primary Ticket Sales
Ticketmaster is estimated to have 70-80% market share of primary ticket sales for major concerts and events in the United States.
Some analysts put Ticketmaster’s share of the primary market as high as 80-90% for major music tours and events. This includes tickets sold during pre-sales and general on-sales directly from the box office.
While competitors like AXS, eTix, and Ticketfly have made some inroads, Ticketmaster still dominates primary sales. Its exclusive partnerships lock out competitors from entire leagues, teams, venues, and tours.
Ticketmaster also has the advantage of decades of relationships with promoters, venues, and rights holders. It offers convenience for consumers with an expansive website and apps. Ticketmaster still has far greater consumer reach and scale compared to challengers.
Outside of major concerts and events, Ticketmaster’s share of primary sales is lower but still significant. By some estimates it has 50-60% market share in primary ticket sales overall. This accounts for smaller venues, arts events, community events, and more.
So while competitors can compete for some small venue and promoter business, Ticketmaster still controls the lion’s share of the $10 billion+ primary event ticketing market.
Ticketmaster’s Share of Secondary Ticketing
In secondary ticketing, Ticketmaster faces more competition but still leads.
The secondary ticketing market refers to re-sales of tickets through exchanges like StubHub. This is an estimated $8-10 billion market according to research firm Statista.
Ticketmaster has expanded its secondary ticketing operations through partnerships with the NFL, NBA, NHL and Eventbrite. It also operates secondary exchanges like NFL Ticket Exchange.
However, Ticketmaster faces stiff competition in secondary ticketing. StubHub is owned by Viagogo and remains the largest ticket resale exchange. Vivid Seats, SeatGeek and Gametime also have significant market share in secondary ticketing.
Overall estimates place Ticketmaster’s share of secondary ticketing around 20-25%. So while it is a major player, it does not have the commanding market share it enjoys in primary sales. Competitors like Stubhub remain very strong in secondary.
Factors Supporting Ticketmaster’s Market Position
What factors allow Ticketmaster to maintain such a dominant market share in primary ticket sales?
Exclusive deals – Ticketmaster’s exclusive partnerships lock out competitors from entire live events sectors. These long-term deals make competing very difficult.
Scale and reach – With decades in the market, Ticketmaster has far more brand recognition. Its website and apps see exponentially more traffic than competitors.
Data and analytics – Ticketmaster can leverage purchase data and analytics to help venues, promoters, and rights holders price and sell more tickets.
Integrated technology – Ticketmaster offers integrated point-of-sale, access control, marketing tools, and data to partners beyond just ticketing.
Consumer convenience – Consumers flock to Ticketmaster because it offers tickets to the most high-demand events. This creates a self-reinforcing cycle for market dominance.
High switching costs – Venues and promoters often face high switching costs and disruptions in changing ticketing providers once systems are in place. This creates inertia.
Industry connections – Ticketmaster’s longevity and connections in the industry make partnerships easier compared to newcomers.
These factors combine to help Ticketmaster maintain high market share even against well-funded challengers. The live events ticketing ecosystem contains many interwoven dependencies that benefit incumbent leaders like Ticketmaster.
Market Share of Other Ticketing Companies
While Ticketmaster leads, there are several other significant ticketing providers:
AXS – Owned by AEG, AXS sells tickets for AEG venues and events. It has about 10% market share primarily from AEG properties.
eTix – Owned by music promoter Live Nation, eTix focuses on smaller music venues. It has 5-10% market share.
Ticketfly – Now owned by Eventbrite, Ticketfly sells for independent promoters and venues. It has around 5% market share.
StubHub – The market leader in secondary ticket sales with over 20% share. Owns significant resale market share.
VividSeats – Major secondary ticket exchange with estimated 8-10% market share of secondary sales.
SeatGeek – Rising competitor focused on mobile-first ticketing. Has under 5% market share currently.
So while these players each have niche roles, none come close to Ticketmaster’s commanding share of primary ticket sales at 70-80%. The market remains concentrated.
Recent Trends Impacting Market Share
Some recent developments may slowly chip away at Ticketmaster’s dominance:
– Demand for mobile ticketing – Younger consumers are moving rapidly to mobile tickets on apps like SeatGeek. This favors next-gen platforms.
– Unbundling of services – Some promoters want to unbundle offerings instead of using Ticketmaster’s end-to-end solutions. Allows more competitors.
– Pressure from government – Scrutiny from regulators and lawmakers around fees, competitive practices, and market power may lead to change.
– Direct-to-fan ticketing – Some teams and artists are exploring direct ticket sales to cut out middlemen fees.
– New technologies – Blockchain, crypto, and smart contracts offer new ways to manage ticketing that may open doors for competitors.
Despite these trends, Ticketmaster’s position remains highly stable for now. But competitors are eager to chip away at its long tenure through innovation.
Ticketmaster’s Market Share in Specific Markets
Ticketmaster’s market share also varies across some specific live events sectors:
Concert Ticketing
– 80-90% for major concert tours and festivals
– 60-70% for amphitheaters and clubs
Sports Ticketing
– 75-85% for major leagues like MLB, NBA, NHL
– 60-70% for NFL ticketing
– 30-50% for college sports
Theater/Arts Ticketing
– 60-70% for big Broadway touring shows
– 40-50% for regional theater, opera, symphony
Other Sectors
– 50-60% festivals, fairs, conferences
– 80-90% WWE Wrestling events
– 70-80% championship fight events like UFC
So while Ticketmaster is dominant, there are some areas like college sports and regional theater where competitors can still make inroads. But for tentpole concerts and events, Ticketmaster remains overwhelmingly in control.
Key Takeaways on Ticketmaster’s Market Share
In summary, key points on Ticketmaster’s share of the ticketing market:
– Has 70-80% market share of primary ticket sales, worth $10+ billion annually.
– Dominates concerts, sports, and mega-events ticketing through exclusive deals.
– Competition is stronger in secondary ticket sales, but Ticketmaster still leads.
– StubHub, SeatGeek, AXS, and eTix have made some small inroads.
– But high switching costs, scale, data, and industry ties protect Ticketmaster’s dominance.
– Recent trends like mobile and unbundling may slowly open doors for competitors.
– But Ticketmaster remains thoroughly entrenched as the #1 ticketing provider for major live events.
Conclusion
Despite some emerging competitors, Ticketmaster maintains an extremely strong grip on primary event ticketing worth tens of billions in sales. Its exclusive partnerships across concerts, sports, and live entertainment, coupled with its brand power, technology, and data abilities, allow it to remain the dominant force in the industry with as much as 70-90% market share in key sectors. While its share of secondary sales is lower, Ticketmaster remains firmly atop the food chain of event ticketing. New innovations and business models may slowly chip away at its market power over the coming decade. But for now, Ticketmaster still reigns supreme as the #1 ticket seller across most live event categories.
