Even with economic worries, Vivid Seats CEO says customers still pay to see sports and hair bands

By STAN CHOE
AP Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Strong spending by consumers has been a linchpin keeping the U.S. economy out of a recession, and Vivid Seats CEO Stan Chia doesn’t see demand in his industry falling off. He says customers are still paying for tickets to concerts, sports games and the theater even if interest rates are high and sentiment surveys show shoppers say they’re feeling nervous. He also said he sees the explosion of pent-up demand for entertainment outside the house following the pandemic has burned through, and trends have returned more to normal.