Why are tickets so hard to come by in Columbus?

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Everyone recalls the eerie nature of events in 2020: games that still existed with little or no fans.

Four years later, it’s an entirely different world.

Live Nation recently released attendance data for 2023, showing all-time industry highs in attendance and sales, up 20% from the year prior.

In Columbus, the data shows the city actually outpacing most of the country; for sports, concerts and comedy, tickets are tough to come by.

“We have the industry’s attention, the people in L.A. and Nashville that are making decisions on where tours are going and whether or not they’re going to play Cincinnati, Cleveland or Columbus,” Mike Gatto with Columbus Arena Sports and Entertainment said. “They’re looking at Columbus and saying, ‘I’ve got to play Columbus first.’”

Starting with sports, it was another struggle of a season for the Blue Jackets, finishing last in the NHL Eastern Conference. Yet this season, the CBJ averaged more than 17,000 per game, the highest for the club in 20 years.

"We need to make sure that their investment in their time and their money is valued, so we are evaluating all those things so that it is a positive experience,” Blue Jackets Vice President of Marketing Ryan Chenault said.

The MLS Cup-champion Crew sold out of its season tickets this year as fans have embraced the champions on the field and in their new home confines of Lower.com Field.

“It is a fight to get our ticket,” Crew Senior Director of Events and Marketing Molly Zaluski said. “We want people to thing far in advance to think about our games. We’re expanding as far as we can to get as many people in here as possible.”

Down the block at Huntington Park, the Clippers ranked a close second in AAA baseball attendance last year.

Of course, Ohio State football ranked among the national leaders in attendance every season.

And then, concerts: last year, Buckeye Country Superfest set an attendance record with nearly 64,000 fans in Ohio Stadium. Drake played two nights at the Schottenstein Center in February while Twenty One Pilots is set to do three nights at Nationwide Arena this October.

"People playing back-to-back nights was just unheard of, and then Morgan Wallen did it last year and could not believe the crowd that turned out two nights in a row,” Columbus Arena Sports and Entertainment’s Dave Redelberger said.

More than a decade ago, Ohio State's venues and Nationwide Arena united under the same management company, Columbus Arena Management, which has allowed the venues to merge marketing plans instead of competing for crowds. 

So why is Columbus setting attendance records in buildings across the city? Operators said they pride themselves on fan experience and convenience, but they also said market research of ticket buyers gives them a better picture.

“We're able to get these great tours... acts... whatever they may be, people will come here and it's very easy to get here,” Experience Columbus CEO Brian Ross said.