Loopyah research
The Worth It Event Index 2026
What makes 500 people in the US decide an event is worth the price, the time and the effort, and what makes them walk away. Every question and every answer is on this page.
- Sample
- 500 US respondents
- Fielded
- February 2026
- Source
- Pollfish
- Worth It Event IndexHow often people expect a live event to be worth it, on a scale to 100.
- 62out of 100
- say events are worth it always or most of the time
- 58%
- say a high price for unclear value makes an event not worth it
- 53%
- feel at least a moderate risk buying into an unfamiliar event
- 76%
- say events overpromise at least half the time
- 41%
Finding 1
Most events feel worth it. Not all of them.
58% say live events are worth the time, money and effort always or most of the time. That leaves 42% who say half the time or less. People are surer an event will be worth their time than worth its price.
Overall, how often do you feel live events today are worth it for the time, money and effort required?
One answer each · share of respondents
58.2%say events are worth it always or most of the time
- Always9.2%
- Most of the time49%
- About half the time28.6%
- Sometimes11.8%
- Never1.4%
How often do you feel the events you're interested in deliver value for the money?
One answer each · share of respondents
71.4%say events deliver value for money always or most of the time
- Always17.2%
- Most of the time54.2%
- About half the time19.2%
- Sometimes9.4%
- Never0%
Will it be worth the price, and worth the time?
Two questions on one scale · share of respondents
| Asked | A great deal | A lot | A moderate amount | A little | None at all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| How confident do you usually feel that an event will be worth the price you're paying? | 28.6% | 30% | 33.6% | 7.2% | 0.6% |
| How confident do you usually feel that an event will be worth your time? | 30.6% | 39% | 26.6% | 3.6% | 0.2% |
Finding 2
Value for money cuts both ways.
Half say clear value for money makes an event feel worth it, level with a strong lineup. A high price for unclear value is the top reason an event doesn't, named by 53%.
What makes an event feel worth it to you before buying?
More than one answer allowed · share of respondents
- Clear value for money50%
- Strong lineup or program49.2%
- Positive past reviews45%
- Trusted ticketing partner25.8%
- Real attendee photos or videos24%
- Recommendations from friends22.6%
- Professional organizer reputation20.8%
- Clear logistics15.6%
- Other0.2%
What most makes an event not feel worth it before buying?
More than one answer allowed · share of respondents
- High price for unclear value53.2%
- Unclear details41%
- Bad or no reviews40.2%
- Weak lineup or program36.6%
- Past negative experiences36%
- Sketchy website or socials22.4%
- Refund concerns15.6%
- Organizational concerns9.8%
- Other0.2%
Finding 3
People trust other people, not the poster.
To judge whether an event will deliver, 47% read online reviews, 44% look at the venue and 43% ask friends. Brand sponsors and the organizer's social media come last.
What do you typically look for when determining whether you can trust the event will deliver?
More than one answer allowed · share of respondents
- 147%Reviews from people online
- 244.2%Event venue or location
- 343.4%Reviews from friends
- Videos of previous events41%
- Organizer's brand reputation28%
- Expected event size20%
- Organizer's social media presence16.8%
- Brand sponsors13.8%
- Other0.6%
How often do you come across event organizers that seem trustworthy when discovering events?
One answer each · share of respondents
61%find organizers trustworthy always or most of the time
- Always12.8%
- Most of the time48.2%
- About half the time22.8%
- Sometimes13.4%
- Never2.8%
How confident do you usually feel that an event is legitimate and not misleading or fake?
One answer each · share of respondents
62%feel a great deal or a lot of confidence an event is legitimate
- A great deal26.8%
- A lot35.2%
- A moderate amount24.6%
- A little10.6%
- None at all2.8%
Finding 4
An unfamiliar event feels like a gamble.
76% feel at least a moderate risk buying a ticket to an event they don't know, and 39% feel a lot or a great deal. 63% say they're clear on what they'll get before they buy.
How risky does buying a ticket to an unfamiliar event usually feel to you?
One answer each · share of respondents
76 in 100feel at least a moderate risk buying into an event they don't know
- A great deal16.2%
- A lot23.2%
- A moderate amount37%
- A little20.4%
- None at all3.2%
How clear do you usually feel about the experience you will get from an event before buying a ticket?
One answer each · share of respondents
62.8%feel clear on what they'll get before they buy
- A great deal26.2%
- A lot36.6%
- A moderate amount31%
- A little5.8%
- None at all0.4%
Finding 5
Four in ten say events overpromise.
41% say events overpromise and underdeliver at least half the time. Still, 72% trust an event to match its advertising always or most of the time, and 71% trust it to run well.
How often do you feel events overpromise and underdeliver?
One answer each · share of respondents
40.8%say events overpromise at least half the time
- Always2.6%
- Most of the time11%
- About half the time27.2%
- Sometimes53.2%
- Never6%
Do events deliver what they promise?
Three questions on one scale · share of respondents
| Asked | Always | Most of the time | About half the time | Sometimes | Never |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| How confident do you usually feel that the experience will match what the event advertises? | 17.4% | 55% | 18.4% | 9.2% | 0% |
| How often do you feel the event you see advertised will live up to expectations? | 13.2% | 58.6% | 21.2% | 6.2% | 0.8% |
| How confident do you usually feel that the event will be organized well? | 19% | 52.2% | 19.8% | 8.6% | 0.4% |
Finding 6
Who answered.
Everyone surveyed attends live events. A third like music concerts or festivals best, and nearly a quarter sport.
Which of the following best fits the type of events you like to attend?
One answer each · share of respondents
- Music concerts or festivals32.6%
- Sports events22.6%
- Food and drink festivals18.6%
- Comedy shows9.2%
- Community or cultural events8.6%
- Theatre or performing arts6.6%
- Business conferences or expos1.4%
- Other0.4%
How the survey was run.
Loopyah ran this survey through Pollfish on 11 February 2026 with 500 respondents in the United States who attend live events. Each figure is the share of all 500 who gave that answer, unweighted. Where people could pick more than one answer, the shares add up to more than 100%.
The Worth It Event Index is the average share of people who gave one of the two most favourable answers to the survey's twelve single-choice questions. On the two questions about overpromising and risk, the favourable answers are the two mildest. The average is 61.8, shown as 62.
Use these figures
Quote any number on this page in your own work. Credit the report and link back to it, like this:
Loopyah, The Worth It Event Index 2026, February 2026. https://loopyah.com/reports/worth-it-event-index-report-us-2026
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