Major US sports proved to a huge draw for ticket buyers on both sides of the Atlantic during 2016, according to data released by StubHub.
Super Bowl 50 in February was the event that generated the most revenue for the ticket exchange in North America over the 12-month period. The NFL’s championship match, between the Denver Broncos and Carolina Panthers, saw StubHub users pay a 7% premium over a year prior to watch the game.
However, it was baseball that dominated the top 10, with World Series games between the Chicago Cubs and Cleveland Indians taking the next five places. Two NBA matches, another MLB game and the college football play-off championship completed the top 10.
“Six out of the top 10 live events were because of one club,” StubHub spokesperson Cameron Papp said. “This was the Cubs’ year. That’s not too much of a surprise with the demand we saw.”
While the Super Bowl has been the biggest event in US sport for some years, perhaps more surprising was that two NFL games were among the top 10 best-selling events in the UK. While Capital's Summertime Ball 2016 was top of the list, the New York Giants versus LA Rams fixture at Twickenham was the fifth biggest draw, while the Washington Redskins and Cincinnati Bengals game at Wembley was eighth. Another US sport, basketball, also made the top 10, with the NBA game between Toronto Raptors and Orlando Magic at the O2 Arena in 10th position.
Rugby’s Aviva Premiership final between Exeter Chiefs and Saracens was second on the list, while four boxing bouts were also in the top 10. Rock group Coldplay were in ninth position.
Wayne Grierson, StubHub’s UK manager, said: “2016 has been a great year for music and sport events in the UK, with popular events such as concerts, rugby and boxing featuring in our top 10 best-selling live events list.
“At StubHub, we believe life is richer when we experience more things, so we’re delighted to see people experiencing events that are becoming increasingly popular for British fans, such as the NFL and NBA. In 2017, we hope to inspire even more Brits to get out and experience the fantastic array of live events on offer in the UK.”
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