Broadway Theaters Set Record for Sales and Attendance

The 2014-15 Broadway season that just ended was the highest grossing in history and broke a record for attendance.

The Broadway League, the trade association that represents Broadway theater owners and operators as well as show producers, said that sales of tickets at the 40 Broadway theaters had totaled a record $1.365 billion and that over 13 million people had attended shows. Attendance rose 13.3% over the past two years, the League said. Attendance in the prior season was 12.21 million.

The continued increase in attendance can be largely attributed to a tourist boom in New York City as well as improving economic conditions.

Visitors to New York City comprise 70% of those attending shows in the 2013-2014 season. Tourists from the United States purchased roughly 49% of all Broadway tickets while foreign visitors accounted for 21%.

The average Broadway theatergoer attended four shows in a 12-month period, while fans who attend 15 or more shows account for 35% of all ticket sales but only 5% of the audience. Those who go to plays typically saw eight shows in the past year while fans of musicals only made it to four.

Thirty-seven productions opened during the 2014-2015 season including 15 musicals (ten new, five revivals), 20 plays (11 new, nine revivals) and two specials.

The Broadway League will present the annual Antoinette Perry “Tony” Awards on June 7 this year. Stay tuned for complete Tony Award coverage in FBT.

(Photos: Accura Media Group)