Live events industry hits high note, set to grow at 18% till 2027: EY report

The organized live events segment stood at Rs 142 billion in 2024, riding on the surge of ticketed concerts, sports events, B2B gatherings, government events, and weddings

by e4m Staff
Published: May 6, 2025 1:01 PM | 5 min read

The live events sector in India is staging a massive comeback, with the industry expected to grow at a compounded annual growth rate of 18% and touch Rs 235 billion by 2027, according to the FICCI-EY Media & Entertainment Report 2025. The organized live events segment stood at Rs 142 billion in 2024, riding on the surge of ticketed concerts, sports events, B2B gatherings, government events, and weddings.

EY noted that “the key driver of growth has been ticketed events across sports and music concerts,” with music events leading the charge. India hosted a record number of large-format concerts last year—between 70 and 80 concert days with audiences exceeding 10,000. These included performances by international stars like Post Malone, Ed Sheeran, Dua Lipa, Imagine Dragons, Coldplay, and Bryan Adams. Festival properties such as Lollapalooza, Sunburn, Zomaland and NH7 Weekender added to the growing cultural appetite.

Concert Economy Booms

The concert economy in India is being fuelled by rising disposable income, a young and globally exposed population, the accessibility of streaming platforms like Spotify and YouTube, and the growing influence of digital creators. EY emphasized that ticketed events have grown four times in the past five years—a steep climb that mirrors both audience enthusiasm and organizer ambition.

BookMyShow data cited in the EY report revealed that over 30,000 live events were hosted across 300 Indian cities in 2024 alone. While metros like Mumbai, Delhi, and Bengaluru remain major hubs, event company CEOs surveyed by EY believe the real momentum is building in the next 10 non-metro cities. The report said, “the highest growth potential lies with the next 10 markets after the metros,” as brands chase consumers in Tier-II and Tier-III cities where consumption growth is faster.

B2B and Government Events Hold Ground

Although corporate events still made up 58% of all events, the figure is an all-time low since 2015. EY noted a shift in corporate spending patterns, with more emphasis on return-on-investment and a migration towards more trackable MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) initiatives. At the same time, government-sponsored events and specialist formats like activations and multi-city rollouts are on the rise.

“The continued growth in premium and organized retail venues led to brands increasing the use of activations, moving to a multi-city format,” the report observed. Specialist events including sporting meets, cultural festivals, and classical performances are also gaining popularity, underlining a post-pandemic shift in audience preferences.

Coldplay in Ahmedabad: A Case Study in Impact

A clear example of the sector’s rising impact was seen in Coldplay’s ‘Music Of The Spheres’ concerts in Ahmedabad. The two-night event attracted over 2.22 lakh fans and generated an estimated economic impact of ₹641 crore, according to the report. Of this, ₹392 crore was a direct contribution to the city’s economy. The event added ₹72 crore in GST revenue.

Importantly, 86% of attendees travelled from outside Ahmedabad, creating a strong intercity tourism effect. Spending on hotels, transport, food, and retail added to the overall impact. Hotel prices spiked from around ₹15,000 to as high as ₹90,000 within 48 hours of the concert announcement.

Held at the Narendra Modi Stadium, the event required extensive planning. More than 1.1 lakh fans attended each night. BookMyShow Live, the event organiser, partnered with Western Railway to run special trains, while Ahmedabad airport saw over 138,000 passengers in three days. The city’s metro system also logged its highest-ever footfall.

Park+, a parking platform, reported a 3x surge in valet bookings during the Coldplay concert weekend in Mumbai. Its CEO, Amit Lakhotia, noted a 200% increase in demand and emphasized the importance of parking as part of the overall event experience.

The company pre-booked slots, added tech-enabled services, and deployed extra valet teams. Lakhotia highlighted that concert-goers now value convenience, often willing to pay a premium for a hassle-free experience. “Live events now mirror the crowd rush seen at airports or malls. Parking is no longer an afterthought—it’s part of the event planning,” he said.

The Coldplay concerts involved around 15,000 people including crew, volunteers, and staff, of which 9,000 were hired locally. A survey of 2,800 attendees showed that 50% extended their stay in the city, with 38% shopping locally and 36% visiting tourist sites. The data further highlighted that for every ₹100 spent on a concert ticket, an additional ₹585 was spent across local services.

A significant portion of attendees—71% of those who shopped—were under 28, underscoring the role of youth in driving demand. The younger audience base is emerging as a central force in the growth of live entertainment in India.

2025: A Bigger Line-Up Awaits

The coming year promises an even more diverse performance calendar, with acts like Cigarettes After Sex, Guns N’ Roses, 21 Savage, and Alan Walker already announced. Alongside global music, Indian classical music and dance performances are drawing audiences back into auditoriums and open-air arenas.

With India’s GDP per capita steadily rising and the number of affluent households increasing, the appetite for live experiences—whether in sports stadiums or concert halls—is far from peaking.