The Isle of Wight music festival saw an increase in profits last year, attributed in part to performances by Pet Shop Boys and The Prodigy. The festival generated a £2.6 million dividend for its parent company, which is part of Live Nation, a major player in the events industry.
Unlike many smaller music festivals that reported losses or cancellations due to adverse weather and rising costs, the Isle of Wight festival was able to maintain financial success. Despite a 4.5% decline in attendance to just under 144,000, the 2024 festival recorded a profit of £3.4 million, compared to £2.8 million in the previous year when Pulp and The Chemical Brothers were headliners.
Organizers announced that The Cure, Lewis Capaldi, and Calvin Harris will headline the 2026 festival. The festival has been held since 1968 and became well-known in 1970 when it attracted approximately 600,000 attendees, surpassing the island’s permanent population of 100,000.
John Giddings, who has managed the festival since 2002, attended the notable 1970 event. Since 2017, the festival has been part of Live Nation’s extensive corporate structure overseeing UK live music events. According to accounts filed at Companies House, Isle of Wight Festival Ltd distributed a £2.6 million dividend to UK Festival Holdings Ltd in 2024, an increase from £1.9 million in 2023.
Live Nation, which acquired the festival in 2017, has faced ongoing legal scrutiny, including a lawsuit in the US for allegedly enabling ticket reselling practices that disadvantage fans. Additionally, the UK competition watchdog has mandated changes to how Ticketmaster, a Live Nation subsidiary, advertises tickets following user concerns over misleading information.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/sep/28/isle-of-wight-festival-increases-profits-despite-fall-in-attendance