(LOS ANGELES, CA (CelebrityAccess) — Venue management giant ASM Global revealed the results of a major, nationwide survey, providing new insights into the preferences of the concert-going public.
ASM’s proprietary INSIGHTS customer experience platform surveyed over 120,000 guests and clients over the past year at some of the largest sports and entertainment facilities in the U.S.
“Many of the takeaways are fascinating,” said ASM’s Chief Marketing Officer Alex Merchán. “And some very surprising. The days of the performer or sports team solely driving ticket sales are evolving with other factors influencing decision-making. Paralleling that is the desire for larger holistic experiences including enthralling ambiance and other experiential moments.”
The survey’s results revealed that for Gen Z and Millennials, event attendance is about more than simply witnessing a show, but instead about the overall experience, where factors such as ambiance and variety in food and beverage options play an increasingly important role.
The survey’s data suggested that higher-priced tickets aren’t necessarily a barrier for younger fans, with ages 18 – 24 spending 12% more than average for top-tier artists.
Additionally, a statistically significant 41% of guests said they seek out a variety of food and beverage options, whether health-conscious, locally sourced, gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, vegetarian, etc.
As well, the availability of alcohol was a key factor in customer satisfaction, and combined with customer service, drove customer satisfaction scores to up to 92% in December, ASM Global said.
Other findings from the survey include:
• In a post-pandemic world, safety, cleanliness, and staff were the most crucial factors in the overall experience at arenas, stadiums, theaters, and conventions centers, with venues being rated “best in class” when scores in these three categories exceeded 80%.
• 83% of all stadium guests purchased food & beverage at an event, 9% higher than all other venue types and an increase from previous behaviors.
• 89% of guests cited an exceptional experience at convention centers, with attention to detail and helpful, attentive staff being the biggest drivers in an overall positive guest experience.
• 18-24-year-olds further reinforce that friendly staff, thorough (pre-event) communication, excellent service, and the artist/event drove their high marks on the guest experience.
• This age group mentions how much they loved being there as they “make up for lost time” and “connection with their favorite artists.”
• Furthermore, this need to “connect with their favorite artist” resulted in 47% of these young fans to drive 200+ miles to see their favorite artists (including Taylor Swift, Doja Kat, Drake, Karol G, Rod Wave)
• The “hungriest fans”, spending the most on food and beverage at events, are based in Arizona and Nevada, spending twice the national average.
“From a Taylor Swift tour stop at NRG Stadium to completely overhauling the traditional high school volleyball tournament experience for attendees by opening up premium food and bar services – ASM has so many great examples where this data is already being used at the local level to adapt and enhance the consumer experience,” said Merchán. “ASM INSIGHTS has provided us a broad yet rich perspective of what fans and guests expect at live events and we’re able to leverage this data into action to revolutionize the entire experience. It’s obvious the industry of tomorrow will need to continue a radical transformation.”
