The high prices of tickets for certain concerts in France have recently attracted attention. PRODISS wished to gather objective data on the general evolution of ticket prices in France and compare them to those in other countries. We studied the prices of a selection of concerts in venues and festivals of different capacities, both in France and abroad. This study was finalized on June 21, 2023. The live entertainment sector is particularly affected by increases in costs across the board, and the study puts the phenomenon of overall ticket price increases in France into perspective.
Between 2019 and 2023, the least expensive seats at French concerts have generally remained below the level of inflation, which was 13.6%. Only the highest-priced tickets for concerts in large-scale venues such as arenas and stadiums were above the inflation level. This is explained in part by the exceptional programming of international artists, whose tickets are sold at higher prices than French-speaking artists.
For festivals, the prices of basic passes for both smaller and larger festivals remained below the level of inflation between 2019 and 2023. However, the prices of festivals of intermediate capacity increased more than inflation. This is mainly due to a « race for headliners » sought by festivals to achieve an ever-increasing balance in attendance.
The study highlights that ticket prices for concerts and festivals are currently lower in France compared to abroad. This is evident when comparing the prices of dates from the same international tour in several countries. For example, a ticket for Muse’s 2023 tour, in the lowest price category, is €62 in France, while it reaches €115 in the United States and €140 in Switzerland. The same result applies to French festivals, which appear as the cheapest or second cheapest internationally for all categories.
To read the full study, click here.
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