Pollstar and VenuesNow Release 2020 Industry Survey Results

Largest Live Industry Study of Its Kind Reveals Key Findings On Impact Of Covid-19, Road to Recovery, Need for Greater Diversity  

Pollstar today announced the results of The Pollstar and VenuesNow 2020 State of the Industry Survey. The largest live industry study of its kind, more than 1,350 live industry professionals, including venue management, promoters’/talent buyers, production and concert support services, ticketing, performers, artist managers, booking agents and agency staff, record labels, publicists, security staff, and more, were polled on three primary subjects. These areas included how the live industry is managing during the pandemic and economic crisis; what the industry’s comeback will look like; and social issues, inclusivity, and diversity within our industry.

The survey yielded a treasure trove of data including critical insights into the current state of the industry, a road map for recovery, a mandate for greater diversity and far more.

“We embarked on this survey project with the goal of taking the pulse of an industry that has not only been hammered by the pandemic like few others, but also to discover their views on the social unrest from their unique perspective as purveyors of the cultural touchstone that is live entertainment,” said Ray Waddell, president of OVG Media & Conferences, which includes Pollstar and VenuesNow.  “While clearly there is a lot of angst and concern regarding the realities of both our social issues and the future business of live, there is also much hope and optimism that this industry we love can not only return to greatness, but also return as a more diverse and equitable business than ever before. We thank all those who participated in this unprecedented survey.”

Highlights of the survey include:

• More than half of all venue respondents, 54.8%, believe the industry will return “to full capacity” in 2021.

• 75.2% responded that they do not believe the government “has given proper consideration to the plight of the sports and live entertainment industry as compared to other impacted industries such as airlines, hotels, restaurants/retail.”

• Approximately 60% say they would personally embark on a tour or work a show now if health guidelines are followed (17.6% of those would work unconditionally).

• More than 80% expect an increase in cashless/touchless technologies.

• More than 72% of respondents expressed “concern about their company’s ability to survive COVID-19.”

• Nearly half of those responding said they have received some sort of government assistance during the pandemic. 

• Indicative of their love for this industry, more than half said they have not considered leaving the live entertainment business and less than 3% have embarked on a new career outside of live.

• More than half believe the industry can do better in terms of racial/cultural diversity, but less than 11% believe the industry has done a “terrible job” in this regard.

• Interestingly, more than 60% of respondents believe their own company is at least “somewhat” diverse and inclusive. 

View more details at the Pollstar 2020 State of the Industry Survey hub.