The Top Livestreaming Stats for 2023: Infographic

Livestreaming became ‘the way’ to watch live entertainment during COVID, but where does livestreaming entertainment stand as we enter a new, post-COVID era? 

We conducted a nationwide survey with over 1,000 participants from different generations, backgrounds and locations and here’s what we found.

Livestreaming fact #1: The majority of people prefer to watch live an entertainment show via livestream.

There’s often a perception that audiences prefer watching live entertainment in-person, but is that the case? Among our survey respondents, the majority, 43%, indicated they prefer to watch a live entertainment show via livestream. 

The top reasons for this preference included the comfort of watching from one’s own home (76%), seeing the event as it’s happening, in real-time (39%) and preferring to avoid crowds and in-person venues due to COVID/health concerns (37%). All compelling reasons to enjoy entertainment live, online.

Livestreaming fact #2: 60% of people are more likely to watch an artist or similar show in-person after watching them online.

Will seeing a show or performance online damper someone’s desire to then watch the show in-person? Absolutely not. On the contrary, in our survey we found that 60% of all respondents indicated that they were more likely to watch an artist or similar show in-person after watching them online. 

This number was even higher for the Millenial and Gen Z generations, with 65% of Millenials and 70% of Gen Z survey participants indicating that seeing a show/artist online would make them more inclined to watch the artist or similar show in-person. 

Livestreaming fact #3: Nearly 90% of people are more open to watching live entertainment online since COVID.

This is a staggering statistic that highlights the impact COVID has had on our willingness to view live entertainment online. As a response to our survey, 45% of participants indicated they are as open to watching live entertainment online, 43% of participants indicated they are more open to watching live entertainment online and only 12% indicated that they are less likely to watch live entertainment online. These statistics bode well for the future of livestreaming as a means of watching art and live entertainment.

Livestreaming fact #3: More than 50% of people have venues/theatres outside of their state that they currently stream from or may be interested in streaming shows from, and they would stream from these venues 2-5 times a month if they could.

Who wouldn’t want to see the work of what Stellar’s CEO Jim McCarthy describes in his book Beyond the Back Row as the “hypothetical greatest small theater in the world”? 

With more than half of people indicating that they stream or would like to stream shows from venues and/or theatres outside of their state and more than 50% of these people saying they would stream shows from these theatres 2-5 times a month if they could, it’s clear that there's definitely an appetite for great entertainment from other local theatres and venues.

Livestreaming fact #4: The most important elements to people when they are livestreaming are streaming and audio quality and the ability to watch the show live.

When it comes to the livestreaming experience, there are certain ‘musts’ for the audience. The top must, by a landslide, is good streaming and audio quality. A whopping 72% of respondents indicated this was important to them. This was followed by the ability to watch the show live (50%), the ability to chat/interact with other fans during the show (20%) and, last but not least, having the artist address the virtual audience (20%). All of these elements are important for live event producers to consider when creating a hybrid and/or livestream show.

The pandemic necessitated livestreaming entertainment but now it’s clear that this medium is here to stay. How will it grow and evolve in the years to come? There are so many artistic possibilities -- the future is truly in the hands of creators, theatres, venues and performing arts organizations.