“The leisure business had a really constructive yr in 2022 and a welcome restoration is unquestionably underway, however we aren’t out of the woods but,” mentioned Michael Furtschegger, world head of leisure at AGCS. “Within the three years because the coronavirus first hit the headlines, the world has modified. The sector should proceed to evolve consistent with new applied sciences, proliferating platforms, and seismic shifts in patterns of consumption, in addition to modifications within the public temper, notably amongst youthful generations.”
Regardless of the challenges confronted by the business, customers are returning to their most well-liked leisure venues or platforms, AGCS mentioned. International field workplace receipts reached $25.9 billion final yr, a 27% rise from 2021, based on Gower Road Analytics. Nonetheless, that quantity remains to be 35% beneath the common for the three years earlier than the pandemic.
Stay music income is predicted to surpass pre-pandemic ranges subsequent yr, with digital music streaming subscriptions driving development in recorded music, the place revenues are predicted to achieve $45.6 billion in 2026, up from $36.1 billion in 2021.
Stay theater can be seeing a comeback, with rising receipts and attendance. The worldwide sports activities business can be proving resilient, supported by media rights, sponsorship offers, and a calendar of worldwide occasions and tournaments, AGCS mentioned.
Challenges stay
Nonetheless, the leisure business is just not proof against financial tendencies comparable to employees shortages and rising prices, AGCS mentioned.
“Our leisure shoppers are feeling the results of inflation, with elevated manufacturing and live-event prices,” Furtschegger mentioned. “Staffing prices have risen following the abilities scarcity that occurred within the wake of the pandemic, when many left the business. Venues are scarcer than they have been as a result of there are nonetheless many exhibits postponed from the pandemic that have to happen along with new occasions and festivals. Larger occasions could also be thriving, however smaller occasions are extra challenged by components comparable to venue, transportation, and power prices. We anticipate to see extra consolidation within the business, with smaller, struggling manufacturing firms and venues being purchased by bigger operators.”
High quality not amount
Know-how has lowered entry boundaries for content material creators, with nearly anybody capable of add content material to TikTok or YouTube. In the meantime, the most important studios and tech companies are launching their very own platforms. The amount of content material now being distributed makes high quality a key differentiator in a crowded market, AGCS mentioned.
“We see a transfer in direction of high quality in movie manufacturing, however this doesn’t come low-cost,” mentioned Wanda Phillips, head of North American leisure insurance coverage at AGCS. “Companies have to know they’ve enough insurance coverage cowl for classy productions. The place prices improve, so, too, do exposures as a result of the prices are increased with every day of capturing, and this could possibly be mirrored in any insurance coverage loss.
Sustainability considerations
Environmental, social and governance points are having a rising affect on the leisure sector, AGCS mentioned.
This yr’s Oscars ceremony will characteristic inexperienced clothes on the Pink Carpet because the Academy encourages a extra sustainable strategy to awards style. In reside occasions, the British band Coldplay has promised to halve the carbon emissions related to its present world tour, in comparison with 2016-2017, and has made an array of sustainable commitments, together with paying a surcharge for aviation gasoline, sourcing moral and sustainable merchandise, and planting a tree for each ticket bought.
Learn subsequent: AGCS faucets product lead for reside occasions
“Youthful generations are notably involved about sustainability, and competition organizers are responding to this,” Furtschegger mentioned. “Increasingly more leisure organizations are committing themselves to sustainability targets to scale back the emissions related to reside excursions.”
Digital future
With streaming now a elementary a part of the leisure and media sector, digital conferences are a specific development space, AGCS mentioned. The worldwide digital occasions market was valued at greater than $114 billion in 2021 and is predicted to develop at a compound annual development fee of 21.4% between 2022 and 2030.
Even and not using a reside viewers, digital occasions nonetheless face dangers, together with transmission failure as a consequence of climate or pure disaster, hearth affecting the published unit, or community points impacting broadcasting infrastructure. Rented tools and studio area can be prone to property and casualty liabilities.
Digital actuality is the fastest-growing leisure and media section, with world development between 2021 and 2026 predicted to deliver the section to $7.6 billion. Gaming is forecast to account for 85% of complete VR income by 2026.
“Because the worlds of gaming, music and leisure proceed to converge, gaming platforms comparable to Fortnite and Roblox are more and more serving as leisure and social hubs, whereas gaming content material is crossing over to social media and streaming platforms,” Furtschegger mentioned.
Rising dangers
Well being and security protocols, rising climate hazards and crowd security are a few of the prime danger considerations the leisure sector ought to monitor, AGCS mentioned.
“The COVID disaster and the latest tragic capturing incident on a movie set have proven that the business wants to stay vigilant about well being and security protocols,” Furtschegger mentioned.
Local weather change is one other trigger for concern.
“We’re seeing extra irregular weather-related occasions – heavy storms and flooding in Europe and brushfires in California, for instance,” Furtscchegger mentioned. “These inevitably trigger havoc for reside occasions, each when it comes to cancellation publicity but additionally damages and human security.”
“Crowds have at all times carried inherent dangers,” mentioned Kurt Miner, managing director of leisure at Allianz Threat Consulting, North America. “Occasion organizers are actually higher capable of monitor massive teams of individuals and preserve them secure, in addition to artists, with the usage of real-time video monitoring. Security specialists can remotely monitor two or three occasions, which might every be going down over 15 acres or extra, recognizing danger considerations comparable to blocked exits or broken boundaries. They’ll additionally monitor social media to pre-empt gate-rushing and forestall stampedes, sending a safety contingent to the situation earlier than the state of affairs will get out of hand.”
Slips and falls are the commonest explanation for claims from live-event insurance policies, so organizers ought to ensure that medical employees and transport to native medical amenities are on-site, AGCS mentioned.
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