German live entertainment ticket sales dropped 16% in 2012

Germany’s live entertainment market saw a 16% decline in income in 2012 according to a new report. Billboard reports that ticket sales dropped from €4 billion in 2011 to €3.3 billion in 2012, while audience figures slipped by 9% to 30.1 million according to the study from market research company GFK.
The report comes as part of a wider study of the live entertainment market commissioned by Germany’s live entertainment trade body (BdV).

Of the €3.3 billion in ticket sales in 2012, €2.3 billion came from music events while €1 billion came from non-music events such as theatre, circus, comedy and clubs.

However, president of BdV Professor Jens Michow said that lower sales in the sector don’t necessarily mean less profit.

“Two tours inevitably generate more sales than one. But at least theoretically, one successful tour will generate more profit than two, if they’re making a loss,” he explained.

“Concerts with very high prices are being shunned by the public. This explains the decline in sales. In 2012, there were fewer tours with expensive top international productions compared to 2011. But the German live entertainment market is still the No. 1 in Europe and internationally No. 4.”

Billboard reports that the average ticket price in Germany in 2012 was €34.81 for music events and €33.15 for non-music.

Of the music genres, hip hop/rap/R&B ticket sales rose 87% with German-language rock/pop and German schlager also up 27% and 25% respectively. dance and jazz/groove saw smaller rises of 3%.

Classical music, opera and singers were down 32%, 33% and 35% respectively, rock and heavy metal was down 22%. Foreign-language rock/pop slipped 14%.

Source: Billboard / Music Week