The UK’s Hottest Concerts and Sporting Events of 2023 Revealed
The wrap-up dissects the trends and events that have dominated headlines this year.
viagogo, the world’s leading marketplace that helps fans buy and sell tickets to their favourite live events, today released its first annual Year in Live Experiences Review. The wrap-up dissects the trends and events that have dominated headlines this year. This year more fans than ever headed to the UK for bucket list experiences including Wimbledon, F1 at Silverstone, Bruce Springsteen at Hyde Park and Beyoncé’s Renaissance tour. At the same time, Brits are venturing outside the UK to see their favourite acts, and viagogo reports a 41% increase in fans purchasing tickets for events abroad compared to the previous year. Highlights of the review include:
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The ten artists touring in the UK in 2024 who have sold the most tickets on viagogo as of 1 December 2023. (Graphic: Business Wire)
- Flying Fans: Both music and sports fans flocked to London to watch The Weeknd, NFL games, Bruce Springsteen, Beyoncé and more. Fans from 90 countries, from Bermuda to Brazil, Singapore to South Africa, bought tickets on viagogo to see Queen Bey’s Renaissance Tour in the UK. Supporters from 40-plus countries bought tickets to experience the Ashes.
- U.S. Football Finds Its UK Supporters: 16 years ago the New York Giants and Miami Dolphins brought the NFL to the UK. However, according to viagogo data, this year was the very first time the majority (58%) of NFL spectators at Wembley and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium were UK-based enthusiasts, and not visiting fans.
- Hometown Favourites: Wimbledon, England Cricket, Six Nations and Formula One led the rankings for the most popular sports in the UK. The F1 British Grand Prix climbed from fourth to second most popular live sporting event in the country.
- The Beginning of An Era: viagogo ticket sales for Taylor Swift’s UK The Eras Tour next year are already tracking at 50% more than Beyoncé achieved in all of 2023. Ticket sales for her Wembley Stadium shows have already claimed three spaces on viagogo’s list of the ten most anticipated shows in the UK for 2024.
- What’s in store for 2024: While Taylor Swift’s stadium shows are dominating demand, British performers make up 50% of the most sought-after tickets in the UK. Take That, Liam Gallagher, Depeche Mode, Bring Me The Horizon and Eric Clapton hold five of the 10 most popular tickets for UK events in 2024.
“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 MD, 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.”
Artists Touring the UK in 2023*
The ten most in-demand artists based on tickets sold on viagogo for events in the UK in 2023 as of 1 December 2023.
British artist Elton John’s Farewell Yellow Brick Road kicked off in September 2018 and only wrapped in July 2023 in Stockholm, Sweden. The legend hosted 26 of his 330 shows in the UK.
Bruce Springsteen’s Hyde Park performance was the second most in-demand concert ticket on viagogo. The iconic act is sandwiched between The Weeknd’s Wembley Stadium and London Stadium shows in first and third place, respectively.
Beyoncé’s Renaissance tour made Tottenham Hotspur Stadium the second most in-demand venue based on tickets purchased on viagogo. Wembley Stadium holds the number one spot with acts including The Weeknd and Harry Styles taking fans to the famous football pitch.
- Beyoncé
- Harry Styles
- The Weeknd
- Coldplay
- Elton John
- Bruce Springsteen
- Chris Brown
- Madonna
- P!NK
- Arctic Monkeys
*Ranking based on cumulative tickets sold for 2023 events on viagogo as of December 1, 2023.
UK Sporting Experiences in 2023*
The top ten sporting events ranked by total ticket sales on viagogo for events in the UK in 2023 as of 1 December 2023.
Pickleball isn’t taking over just yet. Tennis followers from 56 different countries purchased tickets to attend last summer’s Wimbledon championships.
The other football. NFL games take three of the top spots in most popular sporting tickets in the UK on viagogo in 2023. Fans from more than 74 countries have purchased tickets to NFL games this year in the UK.
Drive to survive mania. F1 races account for half of the 10 most-purchased overseas sports events by UK fans.
- The Championships, Wimbledon (tennis)
- Formula 1 British Grand Prix (motorsport)
- Jacksonville Jaguars vs Buffalo Bills - NFL London Games 2023 (American Football)
- ICC World Test Championship - Australia v India (cricket)
- Wales vs England - Guinness Six Nations 2023 (rugby union)
- KSI vs Tommy Fury (boxing)
- Baltimore Ravens vs Tennessee Titans - NFL London Games 2023 (American Football)
- The Open Championship (golf)
- England vs France - Guinness Six Nations 2023 (rugby union)
- Atlanta Falcons vs Jacksonville Jaguars - NFL London Games 2023 (American Football)
However, UK fans are willing to travel - in 2023, they used viagogo to find tickets to thousands of live events around the world, including*:
- Tomorrowland 2023 (Weekend 2 & Wednesday 1) in Belgium
- Miami Dolphins vs Kansas City Chiefs at the NFL Frankfurt Games 2023
- UFC 294 in Abu Dhabi
- Coldplay in Amsterdam
The London and Frankfurt NFL games attracted buyers from 80 countries, including England and Germany.
*Ranking based on cumulative ticket sales for 2023 events on viagogo as of December 1, 2023.
UK’s Most In-Demand Artists for 2024*
The ten artists touring in the UK in 2024 who have sold the most tickets on viagogo as of 1 December 2023.
Person of 2024? Taylor Swift is expected to continue to dominate as fans have already created record interest more than six months before she’s set to perform in the UK. The tour will be at Wembley Stadium for eight nights - 21, 22 & 23 June and 15, 16, 17, 19 & 20 August 2024.
Foo Fighters London Stadium and Emirates Old Trafford Cricket Ground performances follow close behind Taylor with three of their shows in the top ten concerts on viagogo for the year, too.
- Taylor Swift
- Foo Fighters
- Take That
- Liam Gallagher
- Bruce Springsteen
- P!NK
- Depeche Mode
- Bring Me The Horizon
- Eric Clapton
- Olivia Rodrigo
UK’s Most In-Demand Female Artists in 2024*
The ten female artists touring in the UK in 2024 who have sold the most tickets on viagogo as of 1 December 2023.
- Taylor Swift
- P!NK
- Olivia Rodrigo
- Girls Aloud
- Laufey
- Lainey Wilson
- Becky Hill
- Raye
- Paloma Faith
- Tate McRae
If the megastar performances of 2023 are any indication, we’re looking at another year of female-dominated headlines, coordinated outfits and fan community connection, as we head into the New Year. P!NK is again in the top ten after her 2023 shows have already commanded stages in the UK. Girls Aloud fans are ready to relive their favourite early 2000s moments with the band and female artists like Laufey, Lainey Wilson, Becky Hill and Raye are set to become household names in 2024.
For more information or insight into live experiences in the UK, reach out to [email protected] and follow @viagogo on Instagram.
*Ranking based on cumulative tickets sold for 2024 events on viagogo as of December 1, 2023.
About viagogo
viagogo is the world’s leading marketplace to buy and sell tickets to any live event, anywhere. Through viagogo internationally and StubHub, our platform in North America, we service customers in 195 countries in 33 languages and 49 available currencies. With more than 300 million tickets available to events around the world annually -- from sports to music, comedy to dance, festivals to theater -- viagogo offers the safest, most convenient way to buy or sell tickets to the most memorable live experiences.
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