StubHub Releases 2025 Year in Live Experiences Report: Fans Reshape the Global Live Events Economy

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secondary ticketing marketplace financial

A secondary ticketing marketplace is an online platform where people buy and sell tickets that were already issued for events, acting like a digital resale shop or classified ad board for concert and sports tickets. It matters to investors because these platforms can generate steady fee-based revenue, influence price transparency and liquidity in the live-events market, and face regulatory and reputational risks that can affect future sales and profitability.

12/09/2025 - 09:00 AM

Fandomnomics: The Fan-Led Economy Reshaping Live Events in 2025

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- StubHub today released its 2025 Year in Live Experiences report, revealing how fans became a defining economic force in live entertainment — a movement the report calls “Fandomnomics.” Drawing on millions of ticket transactions, the report shows fans reshaping touring strategies, accelerating genre breakouts, and driving global travel at record levels.

“Our mission is to give everyone access to live experiences and 2025 was the year fans proved their influence isn’t just cultural — it’s economic,” said Hayley DiNaso, Partnerships at StubHub. “Their choices didn’t just fill venues; they redirected entire genres, elevated emerging markets, and set new expectations for how artists and teams engage with their audiences.”

The full report is available on StubHub’s Newsroom here.

K-Pop’s U.S. Stadium Takeover

K-pop cemented its place as a major force in U.S. live music, graduating from niche bookings to full stadium runs. Fans followed groups like Stray Kids, ATEEZ, and NCT Dream across multiple markets, marking a shift toward domestic, rock-style touring behavior and signaling the genre’s long-term staying power.

Latin Music Breaks Borders

Latin music expanded globally, with megastars — especially Bad Bunny — drawing international audiences at unprecedented levels. While regional Mexican artists continued to anchor North America, global acts like Jennifer Lopez, Enrique Iglesias, and Maluma pushed the genre into new regions and new fanbases.

Nostalgia Powers the Live Economy

Nostalgia tours delivered some of the year’s most in-demand moments. Acts like Oasis, Green Day, and My Chemical Romance drove a wave of reactivated fans and significant travel, proving that emotional connection and rediscovery remain powerful drivers of live entertainment.

The Cowboy Carter Effect Reshapes Country

Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter helped spark one of the biggest genre shifts of the year. Country music surged in major coastal cities, attracting new audiences from pop and hip-hop and pushing artists like Morgan Wallen and Lainey Wilson into record-breaking demand.

Microfests Redefine Festival Culture

Smaller, community-focused festivals — “Microfests” — became a standout trend as fans opted for local, intimate experiences over large-scale destination events. Their loyalty and repeat attendance made them one of 2025’s most influential cultural shifts.

New Sports Power Players Emerge

Sports fandom continued its global expansion, with surprising breakouts across leagues. MLB teams, particularly the San Francisco Giants and Seattle Mariners, saw rising international demand, while the WNBA fueled a broader surge across women’s sports. Boxing’s Canelo vs. Crawford matchup was among the year’s biggest global sports moments.

Fans Travel More Than Ever

Fans treated concerts and games as must-travel cultural events, with major markets across the U.S. seeing more than half of attendees arriving from out of state. International fan travel also surged, with Mexico City, Abu Dhabi, Toronto, and Sydney emerging as top global destinations.

The Class of 2025

Artists including Coldplay, Oasis, Kendrick Lamar, Billie Eilish, Beyoncé, and Morgan Wallen led global demand. Rising stars like Tate McRae, Benson Boone, and Teddy Swims defined the next wave, marking a year where solo artists drove the majority of breakthrough momentum.

Looking Ahead to 2026

In 2026, K-pop is expected to evolve into a multi–headliner stadium ecosystem, while Latin music is poised for major expansion across Europe. Country music’s genre-blending momentum is likely to continue, fueled by more crossover artists entering the top ranks.

Fans will also help reshape the festival landscape, with regional Microfests becoming increasingly central to local culture. In sports, teams and leagues are anticipated to double down on global fandom — from international games to new travel packages designed specifically for fans who build trips around marquee matchups. And with event travel still climbing, 2026 is set to bring even more “had to be there” moments that push fans across borders in search of unforgettable experiences.

About StubHub

StubHub (NYSE: STUB) is a leading global secondary ticketing marketplace for live events. Through StubHub in North America and viagogo internationally, StubHub services customers in over 200 countries and territories, supporting over 30 languages and accepting payments in over 45 currencies – from sports to music, comedy to dance, festivals to theater. StubHub offers a safe and convenient way to buy or sell tickets to live events across the world for memorable live experiences.