Events

Sports and music fans flock to the UK for events in 2023

Featured Image: Shep McAllister on Unsplash

More people are heading to the UK to attend sports and music events, according to resale marketplace Viagogo. 

In its first annual Year in Live Experiences Review, Viagogo found that fans headed to the UK in 2023 to watch tennis at Wimbledon, Formula 1 at Silverstone, Bruce Springsteen at Hyde Park and Beyoncé’s Renaissance world tour.

The review also found that more Brits were purchasing resale tickets to head abroad for events, with Viagogo reporting a 41% increase compared to the year before.

Eventgoers flew to London to watch concerts from The Weeknd and Bruce Springsteen, while fans from 90 countries purchased resale tickets to see Beyoncé.

The National Football League (NFL) returned to the UK, with Wembley Stadium and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium playing host to Jacksonville Jaguars vs Atlanta Falcons, and the Jaguars vs Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Ravens vs Tennessee Titans. According to Viagogo, some 58% of those that had purchased resale tickets were UK-based.

Wimbledon, England cricket matches, rugby union’s Six Nations and F1 were the most popular sports for UK-based resale purchases, while supporters from more than 40 countries purchased resale tickets for the Ashes between England and Australia.

Resale tickets for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour UK dates are currently – unsurprisingly – the most in-demand on the marketplace.

“London has always been a hotspot for great live music and competitive sport and that’s especially clear in 2023, as we’re seeing record numbers of fans travelling in to share the magic,” said Viagogo global managing director, Cris Miller.

“The UK has been experiencing a resurgence in live events. Fans globally are leveraging our platform to plan holidays to get to these gigs. The knock-on effect of these memorable moments has a positive impact on local businesses and shows the growing demand for these in-person experiences.”