Why do shows publish their grosses?

[TonyVincent]

Posted: 11/5/08 at 10:04am

I don't see the incentive for the producers of Broadway shows to post the shows' grosses. I feel like there's only downside for them:

- If the show is selling out, the public figures out it's a hot ticket without the grosses--there's litte benefit to publishing it officially. Even then, you can release tidbits like "limited tickets available in XYZ" or "sold out through ABC."
- If the show is doing poorly, telling everyone it's doing poorly is bad publicity. Some people won't want to see a show that isn't doing well (if they assume that's indicative of a lack of quality). Others (like us) will figure we can wait until the show hits discount boards or papering sites. It seems like this information can be adversely used against them by making the consumers more saavy.
- Meanwhile, if a show refuses to release grosses (like YF), it can try to present itself as selling well and in demand, with no published statistics to contradict them. That can make the ticket more in demand and help them sell more tickets and/or at a higher average price, even if they're not doing well.

Is there anything I'm not considering? I only see downside to reporting grosses, and feel that a show would do better if they didn't publish them.

[cantstandbrody]

Posted: 11/5/08 at 10:29am

You have good questions !! Ask Mel Brooks about that one !! He decided not to post and the boys club went after him like sharks !!

[Okayfine]

Posted: 11/5/08 at 3:33pm

That's an excellent question - one I wish I could answer without guessing. But, I will disagree with you a bit. I don't think the average consumer knows a thing about the grosses. They know what they hear from friends. Their friends go & see a full house & they think the show is a hit. Their friends go & see a half-empty house & they think it's a dying show. Could be the same show on different nights, but that doesn't much matter.

[TonyVincent]

Posted: 11/5/08 at 3:41pm

The average fan may not, but a decent, non-negligible portion do. Also, newspaper writers/bloggers/whoever cite the statistics (or it influences their writing), so it can affect the "average" fan indirectly.

[Okayfine]

Posted: 11/5/08 at 3:47pm

Indirectly, yes, I concede that. But, I still disagree with the significance (in terms of size)of the "theatre geek" (like us!)fan base, esp. for splashy shows. Tourists just don't shop that way.

[george95]

Posted: 11/5/08 at 4:39pm

Movie grosses are published weekly as well. Retail stores publish their grosses (profits/losses) monthly.

People are curious about money.

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 11/6/08 at 11:18am

The general public does not read show grosses, so it has little box office effect.

And after all, each Sunday the projected movie grosses for the weekend are widely published and seems to have little box office impact.

[TonyVincent]

Posted: 11/12/08 at 8:25am

And after all, each Sunday the projected movie grosses for the weekend are widely published and seems to have little box office impact.

Oh, I think they do. Why else do they put them in the following week's promos?

COME SEE THE #1 MOVIE IN AMERICA! (by last week's grosses)

I'm sure plenty of people use grosses to determine what the new "big" movie worth seeing is.

But I digress. You can argue the magnitude, but I still see it as an all lose, no win situation.

[Mamie]

Posted: 11/12/08 at 10:25am

You may notice those references to the gross take but I know that most folks from out of town neither know about that nor care. They'll see the ad a few times and remember the name of the show when it comes time to book their NY vacations. They'll then check the currently running shows against the reviews (which, for the majority, still means the NY Times) and then they'll buy a ticket.

I can't tell you how many times I've been through this with my relatives and their friends. These are not theatre-people, they are just folks going on a vacation, who want to see a show or two while they're in the city. I think you'd be surprised at just how many of the folks in the theatres are just like them! My relatives in the mid-west do this all the time. They'll make up their minds about what they want to see and then they'll ask me what I think. I'll find out that they're spending enormous sums to see shows that are mediocre or even poor, but have 'stars' in the casts and therefore (by their reckoning) must be great. Then they'll completely overlook other shows that really are terrific just because the NY Times reviewer didn't like it. 9 out of 10 critics may have loved it but if the Times didn't, then it must not be any good. I'm not making this stuff up. It really happens. I then will PLEAD with them to change their mind and go see other shows that I recommend for them. (Then I PRAY that they like them!)

[BestOfBothWorlds]

Posted: 11/12/08 at 11:30am

Why do movie studios publish grosses? Why do sports teams publish attendance? Why do (non publicly-traded) companies post earnings?

We crave transparency from both our businesses and our politics. Look at how Young Frankenstein was treated when they decided not to post grosses. Sure, they have that right, but it's going to leave a sour taste in our mouths.

So, though your fundamental argument that perhaps it might not always be in the best interest of a show to do so, maybe they just continue to do it to please their public. Which is NEVER bad business sense.