Overview

This report contains the findings of three Zeeto surveys seeking to understand the impact of the coronavirus on the entertainment industry. Specifically, we asked patrons of concerts, sporting events, and movie theaters how and when they plan to start going again once those venues reopen. Our findings show that all three will likely experience a prolonged slowdown, with no more than a quarter of patrons planning to return immediately, and as many as half planning to wait until there’s a vaccine.

Highlights 

• Half of concert and sporting event patrons plan to wait until there’s a vaccine before returning (⅓ of movie theater patrons)
• Male patrons of concerts, sporting events, and movie theaters are more likely to return immediately 
• Younger generations are also more likely to return immediately 
• Female patrons of concerts, sporting events, and movie theaters are more likely to wait until there’s a vaccine
• Older generations are also more likely to wait until there’s a vaccine

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Results 

Before the coronavirus pandemic, how often did you go to concerts? 

Nearly half of the 4,559 people we surveyed went to concerts before the pandemic, which are considered patrons in this report. 6% of patrons went very regularly, 9% went regularly, 14% went somewhat regularly, and 15% did not regularly go. All surveyed patrons moved on to the next question. 

Once concerts start up again (if they haven’t already), how long will it be before you go again? ‍

Just above half of all patrons do not plan to go to concerts until there’s a vaccine for the coronavirus. The other half is about evenly split between patrons who plan to go immediately and as frequently as before, and patrons who plan to go soon thereafter, but by sitting in the nosebleed section to avoid crowds. 

Looking at the data by gender

Female patrons plan to be slightly more cautious about returning to concerts. 53% of female patrons plan to wait until there’s a vaccine, compared with 50% of male patrons. On the other hand, 27% of male patrons plan to go immediately and as frequently as before, compared with 24% of female patrons. An equal share of female and male patrons (23.7%) plan to go soon thereafter, but by sitting in the nosebleed section to avoid crowds. 

Looking at the data by age

Older generations plan to be more cautious about returning to concerts. More than 60% of patrons in their 60s and 70s or above plan to wait until there’s a vaccine, compared with 36% 18-29, and ~46% in their 40s and 50s. On the other hand, less than 20% of patrons in their 60s and 70s or above plan to go immediately and as frequently as before, which represents the two age groups with the smallest share. In contrast, patrons 18-29 have the largest share at 32%. 

Before the coronavirus pandemic, how often did you go to live sporting events? 

Nearly half of the 4,469 people we surveyed went to sporting events before the pandemic, which we considered patrons in this report. 20% is evenly split among patrons who went very regularly and regularly, 13% went somewhat regularly, and 12% did not regularly go. All surveyed patrons moved on to the next question. 

Once live sporting events start up again, how long will it be before you attend a game?

Similar to concerts, just above half of all patrons do not plan to go to sporting events until there’s a vaccine for the coronavirus. The other half is about evenly split between patrons who plan to go immediately and as frequently as before, and patrons who plan to go soon thereafter, but by sitting in the nosebleed section to avoid crowds. 

Looking at the data by gender

Similar to concerts, female patrons plan to be more cautious about returning to sporting events. 53% of female patrons plan to wait until there’s a vaccine, compared with 50% of males. On the other hand, 26% of males plan to go immediately and as frequently as before, compared with 22% of female patrons. Nearly an equal share of female and male patrons (~25%) plan to go soon thereafter, but by sitting in the nosebleed section to avoid crowds. 

Looking at the data by age

Similar to concerts, older generations plan to be more cautious about returning to sporting events. More than 60% of patrons in their 60s and 70s or above plan to wait until there’s a vaccine, compared with 52% in their 50s, 46% of in their 40s, and ~38% 18-29 and in their 30s. On the other hand, 16-18% of patrons in their 60s and 70s or above plan to go immediately and as frequently as before, which represents the two age groups with the smallest share. In contrast, patrons 18-29 and in their 30s have the largest share at ~30%. 

“Before the coronavirus pandemic, how often did you go to the movie theaters?”

Compared with concerts and sporting events, a larger share of the people we surveyed went to movie theaters before the pandemic: about 2/3 of 3,245 survey participants. Of these movie theater patrons, 30% is about evenly split between patrons who went very regularly and regularly, 13% went somewhat regularly, and 20% did not regularly go. All surveyed patrons moved on to the next question. 

“Once movie theaters reopen (if they haven’t already), how long will it be before you go again?”

Compared with concerts and sporting events, there’s a slightly smaller share of movie theater patrons (46%) who do not plan to go to the movie theaters until there’s a vaccine for the coronavirus. There’s also a smaller share of movie theater patrons (17%) who plan to go immediately and as frequently as before. When it comes to movie theater patrons who plan to go soon thereafter but by going to matinees to avoid crowds, there’s a much larger share (37%) than patrons of concerts and sporting events (~25) who plan to return soon thereafter but by sitting in the nosebleeds. 

Looking at the data by gender

Similar to concerts and sporting events, female patrons plan to be more cautious about returning to the movie theaters. 49% of female patrons plan to wait until there’s a vaccine, compared with 43% of male patrons. On the other hand, 19% of male patrons plan to go immediately and as frequently as before, compared with 15% of female patrons. Nearly an equal share of female and male patrons (~37%) plan to go soon thereafter, but by going to matinees to avoid crowds. 

Looking at the data by age

Similar to concerts and sporting events, older generations plan to be more cautious about returning to movie theaters. 60% of patrons 70 or above plan to wait until there’s a vaccine, compared with 53% in their 60s, ~50% in their 50s, ~48% in their 40s, ~36% in their 30s, and ~30% in their 30s. On the other hand, ~14% of patrons in their 50s, 60s, and 70s or above plan to go immediately and as frequently as before, which represents the three age groups with the smallest share. In contrast, patrons 18-29, in their 30s, and in their 40s have the largest share at ~20%.

Methodology 

The three surveys were conducted on May 26-27, 2020. First question results for the three surveys combined are based on 12,273 respondents, whereas second question results are based on 6,006 respondents, which are about evenly split between the three surveys. The three surveys have a margin of error of +/- 1-3 percentage points (depending on the subset of data) with a confidence level of 95%.