Live Nation Entertainment Reports Second Quarter 2026 Results

July 30, 2026 | Company | Share on

“In a world of endless screens and AI-generated everything, the one thing that can’t be copied is being there. More artists are on the road than ever — and fans keep choosing to be in the room with them, driving the strongest concert ticket sales we’ve ever seen. More than 143 million tickets have sold through mid-July, over 14 million ahead of last year’s pace, with mid-teens ticket sales growth across all large venue types: stadiums, arenas, and amphitheaters.

None of this happens without the artists — they make these moments, and we’re grateful to every artist and crew who trust us with their tours. This was a quarter of milestones: nearly 49 million fans attended our shows, Ticketmaster grew adjusted operating income 14%, and all-time-high deferred revenue points to a strong second half. The first-quarter legal accrual will weigh on reported operating income, but we remain on track for double-digit adjusted operating income growth this year — and to compound at that level for years to come.” – Michael Rapino, President and CEO

GLOBAL DEMAND FOR LIVE EVENTS DRIVES RECORD FAN GROWTH (2Q26 vs. 2Q25)

Revenue of $7.7 billion, up 9%

Operating income of $522 million, up 7%

Adjusted operating income (AOI) of $817 million, up 2%

Concerts revenue grew 8%, while AOI reflected the timing of shows and continued investments in venues and festivals

Ticketmaster results surpassed expectations, with AOI up 14% and 90 million fee-bearing tickets sold, up 8%

Sponsorship AOI increased 13%, fueled by the international expansion of venues and festivals

International markets powered growth across all segments: Drove attendance growth of 10%, adding approximately five million fans to a record 49 million globally

Contributed 70% and 80% of Ticketmaster and Sponsorship AOI growth for the quarter, respectively

ARTIST ACTIVITY GLOBALLY DRIVES HIGHEST 2Q CONCERTS ATTENDANCE (2Q26 vs. 2Q25 unless otherwise noted)

Revenue of $6.4 billion, up 8%

Fan count of 49 million, up 10% International attendance at stadiums, arenas, and festivals all up over 20%

U.S. attendance at amphitheaters and arenas up double digits, while stadium attendance declined due to show timing

Underlying demand trends remain robust: Sell through rates across all U.S. large venue types remain at or above prior-year levels for shows through the end of 2Q

Cancellation rates remain at historical levels

Affordability remains a key priority, with low- to mid-single-digit price increases across stadiums, arenas, and amphitheaters, and U.S. get-in ticket price increases continuing to trail inflation over the past five years

AOI of $310 million was down 14% due to the timing of stadium shows, venue pre-opening costs, and new international festivals

Q2 ended with record event-related deferred revenue of $6.4 billion, up 25%, pointing to accelerating stadium and amphitheater activity in the second half

Full-year fan attendance is now projected to grow 10%, with expected attendance at operated venues up double digits and third-party venues up high single digits

For the full year, Concerts remains on track to deliver double-digit AOI growth, with the majority of the year-over-year improvement occurring in Q4, and continued margin expansion

VENUE NATION DELIVERING MORE SHOWS AND ENHANCED HOSPITALITY FOR FANS GLOBALLY

Year-to-date, onsite food and beverage spending increased high single digits year-over-year at large U.S. amphitheaters and across European arenas and theaters

Investments in premium experiences are driving strong returns: at newly opened amphitheaters, Morton and Mystic Lake, enhanced offerings are driving premium revenue nearly 75% higher than comparable amphitheaters

Venue Nation on track to host close to 75 million fans in 2026, up double digits year-over-year, driven by an increase in show count from higher utilization of our existing venues and adding new venues

2026 pre-opening costs for all venues under development expected to be approximately $50 million, with current projects on track to achieve 20%+ IRRs

Current pipeline of more than 25 large (over 3,000 seats) venues expected to open through the end of 2027, adding capacity for an incremental 15 million fans on a run rate basis

LIVE EVENTS CONTINUE TO ATTRACT GROWING BRAND INVESTMENTS (2Q26 vs. 2Q25 unless otherwise noted)

Revenue of $383 million, up 12%, led by the strength of our international markets, up 17%

AOI of $257 million, up 13%

Brand demand remains broad-based, driven by our expanding venue portfolio and global festivals, which contributed 70% of the growth Number of strategic partners (over $1 million in revenue per year) increased over 20%, with associated revenue up double digits

New ticket access partnership with Spotify’s Reserved leverages Ticketmaster’s platform to help more fans access tickets

Sponsorship AOI expected to grow double digits for the year, with 95% of sponsorship commitments booked for 2026

Margins expected to be similar to last year

DEMAND FOR CONCERTS FUELS HIGHEST 2Q FOR TICKETMASTER (2Q26 vs. 2Q25 unless otherwise noted)

Revenue of $852 million, up 15%

AOI of $331 million, up 14%

90 million fee-bearing tickets sold, up 8% Concerts remained the primary growth driver with tickets sold up 11%, accounting for 90% of the ticket volume growth