The11/26/08 edition of the Detroit Free Press published an article by Mark Stryker that examines some current events in the Detroit Symphony finances. Although the entire article is well written, the part that should catch your eye is about tickets sales. We’re going to explore this issue in more detail next week but take some time over the weekend to give Mark’s article a read then head over to Adaptistration’s ticket price category archive and start thinking about how orchestras should approach ticket pricing.
Yes, we saw the article by the Detroit Free Press’ fine critic and arts reporter Mark Stryker. The Windsor Symphony is right across the river from Detroit (and the only place in Canada you can go due SOUTH to the USA…). Windsor has been in the same tough economic shape as metro Detroit for at least the last two decades.
While our organizations are quite different in size (Windsor has a $2.2 million budget vs. the DSO’s 31.5 million), and we cannot draw Michiganders the same way Detroit events draw Canadians.
Still, for the last two seasons the Windsor Symphony has enjoyed record ticket revenues. The 2007/08 growth was much the result of big price increases. This season — 2008/09 — we did no price increases, but are up just a smidgen in subscription income, and single ticket sales are experiencing a big boost. The odd thing is that our actual average prices paid are up substantially (over 7% overall). The buyers are simply purchasing “better” seats. Go figure…
Rob Gold
Director of Marketing
Windsor Symphony Orchestra
Yes, we saw the article by the Detroit Free Press’ fine critic and arts reporter Mark Stryker. The Windsor Symphony is right across the river from Detroit (and the only place in Canada you can go due SOUTH to the USA…). Windsor has been in the same tough economic shape as metro Detroit for at least the last two decades.
While our organizations are quite different in size (Windsor has a $2.2 million budget vs. the DSO’s 31.5 million), and we cannot draw Michiganders the same way Detroit events draw Canadians.
Still, for the last two seasons the Windsor Symphony has enjoyed record ticket revenues. The 2007/08 growth was much the result of big price increases. This season — 2008/09 — we did no price increases, but are up just a smidgen in subscription income, and single ticket sales are experiencing a big boost. The odd thing is that our actual average prices paid are up substantially (over 7% overall). The buyers are simply purchasing “better” seats. Go figure…
Rob Gold
Director of Marketing
Windsor Symphony Orchestra