What makes a show truly “worth it” when wallets feel tight and the pace of change won’t slow down? We sat down on the floor at INTIX to unpack new survey data from leaders across live entertainment and paired it with insights from 100,000+ patron responses. The result is a clear map of where price perception meets real value, how C‑suite and frontline teams see the same problem from different seats, and what it takes to turn AI from a buzzword into a daily workflow advantage.

We start by reframing “too expensive” into a conversation about meaning, memory, and friction. Our Ticketmaster study shows “expensive” ranks differently across concerts, sports, and theater, hinting at how narrative and ritual shape perceived value. Then we pressure‑test that idea with the Deal or No Deal memory exercise, revealing why fans often prize the experience far beyond the ticket price after the fact (and how marketers can seed that feeling before purchase). Along the way, we explore the split between patron‑first and business‑first instincts: non‑C‑suite voices cite affordability and loyalty, while executives eye production costs, aging facilities, and upskilling.

AI threads through every function (analytics, marketing, service, operations), yet many still rate its impact as “moderate.” We explain why visibility lags behind reality and share a practical path to adoption: identify team “yak‑shaving,” pilot targeted AI workflows, capture wins, and codify them into prompts and playbooks. Finally, we land on the leadership trait the room chose for 2026: adaptability. Not as a buzzword, but as the operating system for transparent decisions, faster test‑and‑learn cycles, and trust that survives volatility.

If you work in live events, this conversation offers actionable strategies: align on value, reduce full‑journey friction, design for memory, and build AI‑enabled super teams. Subscribe, share with a colleague who lives in the box office or the boardroom, and tell us: what would make your next show undeniably worth it?

See additional results from the Future of Live survey here: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/perspective-challenge-what-our-intix-leadership-survey-bazadona-qbs5e

Recorded Wednesday, January 28th, 2026
Hosts: Damian Bazadona, CEO & Founder, Situation & Lisa Cecchini, Managing Partner, Situation, & Peter Yagecic, Founder, A Mind at Work Consulting
Producer: Peter Yagecic, Founder, A Mind at Work Consulting