As technology continues to reshape ticketing, another force is shaping the industry just as powerfully — consumer expectations.

Across markets and event types, buyers are asking more questions about pricing, availability, resale and the overall fairness of the purchase experience. What’s emerging is a shift toward greater transparency, clearer communication and a more accountable approach to pricing and distribution. For organizations, that shift is not just about compliance or perception. It is ultimately about building and maintaining confidence, trust and loyalty in the fan relationship.

In this second installment of our four-part series, we explore ticketing trends nine through 13, with a look at how trust, transparency, pricing and the purchasing experience itself are being redefined.

If you missed part one, which examines the growing role of artificial intelligence across the ticketing industry, you can read it here.

9. Pricing Communication and Transparency

An issue that has drawn attention worldwide in recent years is clarity and transparency surrounding pricing, and that focus is only intensifying.

Angela Higgins, Founder of Antix Management and Co-Producer of the Ticketing Australia Conference, sees this playing out in how prices are presented to consumers of live events.

“As dynamic pricing becomes more widely adopted in musical theatre in Australia, pricing structures are growing increasingly complex. The trend I’m watching most closely is how we communicate price to customers, specifically, how we design the digital experience so that audiences can easily navigate to what they’re looking for, whether that’s the best available price, the best available seats, or both,” says Higgins. “A lot of our energy right now is going into ensuring that complexity on the backend doesn’t translate into friction for the customer on the frontend. Encouragingly, we are already seeing strong examples in Australia of websites and mobile sites that are meeting this objective well, continuously seeking customer feedback and evolving accordingly.”

Higgins continues, “A related area gaining increasing attention is pricing transparency. Customer feedback consistently demonstrates that clarity around advertised pricing matters, and that means all-in pricing that includes every fee, alongside clear communication of any restrictions or terms and conditions that apply. I expect focus on this to intensify, not only in Australia but across global markets.”

Madison Lymer, International Sales and Revenue Director at Sonia Friedman Productions, is seeing a similar response from audiences, particularly in theatre.

“A trend we're consistently rolling out is going back to basics. Consumers are fatigued; pricing feels opaque, and it's increasingly difficult for audiences to know whether they're getting a good deal,” explains Lymer. “Legislation has helped, but I think we'll continue to see a more simplified pricing model where live entertainment, particularly theatre, gets better at communicating and highlighting value.”

She continues, “Recently, we've stripped back a lot of our dynamic pricing practices and shifted focus toward a directional pricing strategy. Sometimes that means resisting the urge to price up in peak moments or down in off-peak periods, and instead aiming for consistency. On a long-running show, that means it's less about making sure a seat sells at the highest possible price and more about ensuring there is a price for everyone. What that looks like will vary by venue and event, but with AI shopping tools (and SEO) increasingly shaping how audiences discover and evaluate tickets, clear and transparent pricing isn't just good practice — it's becoming essential for visibility. How you communicate seat value is starting to matter as much as the price itself.”

Megan Christensen, Chief of Business Operations for USA Water Polo, also sees pricing clarity and transparency as a top trend over the next 12 months.

“There is a growing demand from patrons and fans for greater transparency and control, particularly within the resale marketplace,” Christensen notes. “Buyers want clear visibility into pricing, fees and authenticity, and they are becoming more selective about where and how they purchase tickets.”

Bethany Nothstein, Strategic Brand & Sector Engagement Lead at Spektrix, agrees that resale is among the issues shaping how the industry is perceived. She also points to growing scrutiny of fees and transparency amid heightened global attention and change.

“This isn't just a PR issue. It’s also a customer retention issue,” she emphasizes. “When pricing feels opaque, or the buying process feels unfair, it erodes trust, and without trust, we lose the ability to build long-term loyalty. We have to recognize that a frustrated audience is rarely a recurring one. By leaning into transparency now, organizations can protect their customer experience and, by extension, their long-term revenue. These changes have the potential to reshape not only public perception, but the structures and standards the industry operates within over the long term. Those that stay attuned to what’s emerging and take a thoughtful, long-term view will be best positioned to adapt with confidence, shaping their approach proactively, rather than reacting under pressure.”

10. Pricing in More Sensitive Times

As pricing becomes clearer, it is also being interpreted through a different lens shaped by broader economic pressures and shifting consumer behaviour.

Jonathan Carpenter, Program Manager, Performing Arts at JCA, is keeping an eye out for signs of changing price sensitivity.

“Right now, it's pretty hard to ignore our ticket-buying audience's economic anxiety,” he says. “In our Trends in Audience Behavior studies, we've seen that generally nonprofit performing arts audiences haven't shown a great deal of price sensitivity in the aggregate, and in recent years we've even seen a growing willingness to pay for the very best seats. I'll be interested to see if that changes over the course of the year.”

Carpenter continues, “Some of the indicators we'll be watching closely are changes in how 2026 ticket sales track relative to recent seasons, whether there are changes in the distribution of sales across available price points, and if discounted tickets begin to comprise a larger percentage of tickets sold. Noticeable changes in any of these metrics could signal that organizations need to make significant adjustments in order to continue filling their houses and meeting their ticket sales goals.”

Behavioral shifts do not just change what audiences are willing to pay, but also how organizations think about pricing strategy. Carpenter notes that while some may respond by lowering prices, as we saw between the fall of 2024 and the fall of 2025, he is hopeful that others will continue to refine how they use data to maximize revenue when demand is high and price sensitivity is low.

“We've seen that incremental income from dynamic pricing has steadily grown, rising from 4.6% of total ticket income in fall 2022 to 6.2% in fall 2025. There's real opportunity there to help ensure that organizations are staying on track to meet their goals,” he says.

11. Building Confidence in the Transaction

For many fans, how a ticket is bought is now under as much scrutiny as how it is priced. That shift is forcing organizations to rethink how systems and touchpoints connect across the purchase journey.

“For ticket buyers, the push is toward a smoother, more consolidated experience,” explains Steve Baumgartner, Chief Revenue Officer for AudienceView. “Entertainment and experience providers have recognized that it's more than just selling a ticket — but consumers don't want more apps, more profiles, a barcode for parking, a QR code to get in, a separate system for merchandise and then a flood of texts and emails from five different systems before, during, and after the event. That's not an experience. That's friction.”

Baumgartner adds, “If an experience is a hassle, consumers will find something else. It's that simple.”

Cassie Roberts Dispenza, VP of Strategic Partnerships at Saffire, believes future industry growth will come more from how platforms build consumer confidence versus simply selling tickets online.

“The companies that succeed will be those that can balance revenue optimization with transparency,” she says. “Consumer trust is quickly becoming an extremely valuable asset in ticketing.”

Andrew Kerzak, Ticketing, Inventory, Pricing, and Data Analyst for Churchill Downs, believes many organizations will be able to adopt elements of AI-driven pricing, but far fewer will implement it in a way that feels transparent and fair to customers.

“There are real risks in pursuing incremental revenue gains at the expense of long-term customer relationships,” he says. “The opportunity is significant for those who get it right: creating a more seamless, personalized buying experience while maintaining trust and loyalty. Ultimately, the next phase of ticketing will be defined not just by how smart pricing gets, but by how well it aligns with the customer experience.”

“What feels most important right now is the growing pressure to make the buying experience more transparent, controllable, and trustworthy,” says Jason Mastrine, Global Head of Ticketing Strategy at Protect Group. “Between regulatory scrutiny on pricing, the continued push toward controlled resale and verified access and the broader fallout from the Live Nation/Ticketmaster DOJ case, the industry is under real pressure to improve how customers experience the purchase itself. That is a job for all of us, but I believe scaled global platforms in particular are going to face a higher bar. Reach still matters, but rights holders will increasingly expect flexibility, local relevance and tools that make the customer experience feel more credible from market to market.”

Mastrine continues, “Transparent pricing helps. Controlled resale helps. Verified access helps. And yes, ticket protection and refundable bookings help, too. Anything that makes buying feel more straightforward and less stressful is a step in the right direction.”

12. The Role of Resale and Secondary Markets

Buyers are also becoming even more deliberate about where they complete their transactions. Christensen points to how resale has become part of that broader equation.

“A key area I’m watching is the evolution of resale protections and policies, especially for multi-day or high-demand events,” she says. “Recent challenges at Coachella have highlighted gaps in how multi-day passes are transferred, validated and supported. I anticipate … more platforms and event organizers introducing safeguards (verified resale channels, transfer windows or partial-use protections) to better serve both buyers and sellers.”

That shift is also reshaping how primary and secondary markets interact.

Ben Dostal, Director of Ticketing and Analytics for Fox Theatre Atlanta, predicts we will continue to see the line between primary ticketing and marketplaces blur.

“Open marketplaces were once viewed as adversaries to primary ticketing, but increasingly they’re becoming distribution partners — additional shelves where our products can live,” he explains.

“When these relationships are structured thoughtfully, they offer reach without sacrificing insight. The key shift is ensuring that data flows back to the primary organization, allowing us to better understand demand, buyer behavior and market dynamics. That visibility ultimately leads to smarter decisions, not just about pricing and inventory, but about how and where we engage our audiences.”

13. Customer-Centric Remains Crucial

“The trends that endure are invariably those that place the customer at the center of the innovation. It sounds simple, but it is easy to lose sight of,” says Higgins. “When we develop products and solutions that prioritize organizational benefit over customer need, we are not only missing the point, but we are also undermining our own chances of success. Ultimately, it is the customer who sustains this industry, and the most meaningful advances in ticketing will always be those that make their experience easier, clearer, and more rewarding.”

“Ticketing isn’t just a transaction, it’s really the first touchpoint of the live experience. For a brand like the Harlem Globetrotters, that means making sure it’s seamless, fair, and works for a multi-generational audience,” says Shane Kelly, Head of Live Touring for the Harlem Globetrotters. “As the tech keeps evolving, the opportunity isn’t just about driving revenue, it’s about using those tools to build an ongoing relationship with fans, not just during the on-sale window but as part of a longer, continuous conversation with fans.”

Christensen builds on this perspective, bringing together the themes explored throughout this story.

“Ultimately, the industry is at a point where fan expectations are driving change as much as technology. Convenience, transparency and trust are becoming just as important as access. Organizations that can provide clarity around pricing, offer secure and flexible resale options, and adapt to evolving purchase behaviors will be best positioned to succeed,” she says.

Christensen concludes, “From my perspective, the opportunity isn’t just to sell tickets. It's a chance to build a more transparent and fan-centric ecosystem that supports the full lifecycle of the purchase and event experience.”

In the next installment of our 2026 ticketing trends series, we explore how data and personalization are reshaping audience relationships and how organizations are using those insights to build more connected, responsive experiences.

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• 2026 Ticketing Industry Trends – Part 1: AI at the Center of Ticketing’s Next Chapter
• Protect Group Keeps the Ticket Buying Process Safe and Secure

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