The summer live entertainment season is almost here, and the numbers point to the busiest stretch since the pandemic recovery. Pollstar's Q1 report shows five-year highs: $1.36 billion in gross revenue from the top 100 touring artists. That’s a 15.7% jump over last year, with 12.5 million tickets sold in the first quarter alone.
That pace isn't slowing down. Broadway closed its eligibility window for the 79th Tony Awards on May 5, when nominations dropped. At 16 stadiums across the US, Mexico, and Canada, FIFA World Cup prep is converting football fields to pitches and reshuffling venue schedules through the fall.
For anyone managing crews, running venues, or producing live events, the next five months will stress-test every operational system you have. Before the lights go on and the industry rush begins, stay out front with this insider look at what’s ahead.
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Meet our team at these upcoming events:
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Trusted Advisor NYC Music Summit | Los Angeles | May 6-8
Join the Cast & Crew-hosted NIVA Happy Hour at The Troubadour on April 15 at 7:30 p.m., a can’t-miss networking opportunity for live entertainment professionals.
Team Member(s) Attending: Todd Dyer, Lizette Gomez, Sam Lankie, T.J. Sagen, and Dina Meyers
Broadway League Spring Road Conference | New York, NY | May 19-21
Cast & Crew Sports & Live Entertainment and Checks & Balances are at the Hilton Midtown. Stop by to to explore how we work with company managers, business managers, producers, and general managers who are ready to take the complexity out of theatrical payroll.
Team Attending: Todd Dyer, Lizette Gomez, Sarah Galbraith, Ryan Lympus
National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) '26 | Minneapolis, MN | June 7–10
Cast & Crew returns as a sponsor. Our team is on site and available to connect with venue operators, promoters, and festival organizers looking to uplevel how they manage payroll and workers’ comp.
Trusted Advisors London World Congress | London, UK | June 9–12
Todd Dyer joins the summit on June 11 to discuss what keeps complex tours running: payroll precision, risk management, and production infrastructure.
Protect your margins before the summer schedule locks
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Summer means bigger crews, tighter timelines, and labor costs spread across multiple markets. Most operators price on hourly rates alone, which leaves out administrative time, technology costs, turnover, and workflow friction. Our free True Labor Cost Preparedness Checklist walks you through each cost category, so you know where your model holds up and where it doesn't, before budgets are finalized.
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