Entertainment in Russia

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• Theaters in Russia
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History

2024: The volume of the market for entertainment and sports events in Russia grew by 20% to ₽227 billion

The volume of the market for entertainment and sports events in Russia in 2024 reached ₽227 billion, which is 20% more than in 2023. The market structure was distributed as follows: the concert segment brought ₽53 billion, the cinema segment - ₽45 billion, museums and exhibitions - ₽38 billion, theaters - ₽49 billion, sports events - ₽12 billion. This was announced in May 2025 by Kommersant with reference to analytical data.

Forecasts for 2025 show further growth in the entertainment industry to ₽265 billion, which will be an increase of 17% in annual terms.

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Фото: Freepik

According to analytical data, for 2020-2024. the offline entertainment market faced two large-scale crises caused by pandemic (we are talking about the COVID-19 pandemic) restrictions in 2020, as well as geopolitical events and sanctions pressure in 2022. However, the industry has shown resilience by adapting to new conditions and restoring financials to 2019 values. In 2023, the value of the market showed a significant increase of 44% compared to the previous period, reaching 190 billion rubles.

At the same time, the dynamics of attendance at events remains less optimistic. Experts attribute this trend to a set of factors, including the absence of tours of foreign performers, the termination of the activities of international film companies in the Russian market, restrictions on the participation of Russian athletes in international tournaments, as well as the introduction of a fan identification system.

The analytical review suggests that the recovery of ticket sales to pre-crisis levels was made possible by a combination of several key aspects. The primary role was played by an increase in pricing policy due to an increase in operating expenses of event organizers, including an increase in the cost of events and an increase in the remuneration fund of industry specialists. The reorientation of consumer demand to segments less dependent on foreign participation also had a significant impact. There is a noticeable transformation of audience preferences: if in 2019 the main drivers of the market were cinemas and concert programs, then in 2023 priorities shifted towards theatrical productions.

Also played the role of government initiatives in stabilizing the industry. The introduction of the Pushkin Card program was a significant support factor that contributed to the intensification of cultural consumption among the youth audience. This measure stimulated the attendance of cultural institutions and had a positive impact on the overall indicators of the entertainment services market.^[1]

2023: Offline Events Market Growth by 44% to ₽189 Billion

The volume of the market for entertainment and sports events in Russia reached ₽189 billion at the end of 2023, an increase of 44% compared to 2022. Data from a joint study by consulting company OKS Labs and the largest ticket operators was published in November 2024.

According to Forbes, in 2024 ticket sales increased by another 20% in monetary terms, and the market volume will reach ₽227 billion. The study was conducted jointly with Yandex Afisha, Kassir.ru and MTS Live.

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Фото: Freepik

According to analysts at OKS Labs, in 2024 the concert segment will earn ₽53,5 billion, theaters will collect ₽48,8 billion, cinemas - ₽45,2 billion, and the museum and exhibition segment - ₽38,2 billion.

Significant growth was also shown by ticket sales for the show, reaching ₽9,8 billion, for sports events - ₽11,7 billion, for children's events - ₽8 billion. Almost two-thirds of sales (64%) are through online channels.

Over the past five years, the share of the largest ticket aggregators has grown from 18% to 35%. Attendance at events in 2024 will lag behind the 2019 level by 13%, which is due to the lack of concerts by foreign artists and international sports competitions.

Significant changes have taken place in the market structure: if in 2019 cinemas (29%) and concerts (25%) were in the lead, then in 2023 theaters (23%) occupied the largest share. This was facilitated by state support through the Pushkin Card program.

Concerts and shows remain the most expensive types of leisure, due to the high costs of organizing, and exhibitions and museums are the most affordable, although prices for them increased by 13% for 2021-2023.

In 2025, OKS Labs analysts predict market growth by 17%, while the concert segment may grow by 23%, cinemas - by 19%, shows - by 21%, sports events - by 17%, and theaters, museums and exhibitions - by 12%.^[2]

Notes