The cheapest ticket for this Sunday's World Cup final in New Jersey costs $7,706 – more than the average three months' rent in the state. That eye-watering figure is just one example of a summer that has seen Americans spending record amounts on live events, from the NBA Finals to music festivals. But what is driving these sky-high prices, and why are people willing to pay them?
The cost of attending major events has surged in recent years. The most affordable seat for the NBA Finals' first game at Madison Square Garden peaked at $11,685, before dropping to $6,728 on the day. Coachella's original ticket price of $649 for weekend one was dwarfed by resale prices that reached over seven times that amount. Across the music industry, the average concert ticket price rose from $96.17 in 2019 to $132.62 in 2025, according to live entertainment data firm Pollstar. Nearly 10 million more tickets were sold in 2025 compared to 2019. This surge in demand and prices can be traced back to the pandemic, says Larry Martin, chief commercial officer at secondary ticket market Gametime. "Coming out of the pandemic, we saw something we haven't stopped seeing since: people are craving real, in-person connection," Martin told The Independent. "Shared experiences have become more valuable." That craving translated into spending, as consumers sought to attend concerts, games and shows with fellow fans. A key driver is FOMO – fear of missing out. Research from credit bureau Experian found that 78 percent of consumers are "very or somewhat willing to take on additional expenses or debt to attend a once-in-a-lifetime event like the Olympics." The phenomenon is not limited to the US; UK readers may recognise similar forces at play in the market for Premier League tickets, Glastonbury passes, or Wimbledon seats. While the specific figures in this article are from American events, the underlying psychology – pent-up demand, social pressure, and a desire for shared experiences – is global.
“Why attending major events like the World Cup costs thousands of pounds and what drives demand.”
Q: Why are live event tickets so expensive? A pent-up demand for in-person experiences after the pandemic has collided with a willingness to pay premium prices, especially for marquee events. Secondary market resales can push prices far above face value, as seen with the World Cup final and Coachella.
Q: What is FOMO and how does it affect ticket prices? FOMO stands for "fear of missing out". It drives consumers to spend more than they might otherwise, with 78 percent of people surveyed by Experian ready to incur debt for a once-in-a-lifetime event. This emotional pressure keeps demand high even at exorbitant prices.
Q: How much more do concert tickets cost now than before the pandemic? According to Pollstar, the average concert ticket price in 2025 was $132.62, up from $96.17 in 2019 – an increase of nearly 38 percent. At the same time, total tickets sold rose by almost 10 million, indicating that higher prices have not dampened demand.
What happens next? With the World Cup final approaching, industry experts like Gametime's Larry Martin suggest the craving for live events will persist. "There was a wave of pent-up demand to be back in the building," he said, and that wave shows no sign of receding. As long as consumers are willing to pay, ticket prices are likely to remain high.
