Al Lewis launched into a Wall Street Journal essay on the economy with the phrase:
Shared sacrifice follows every disaster. It’s only a matter of deciding who shares it.
Thinking about some of the choices Lori and I have been making in our own household, it’s not surprising that there’s a huge slump in ticket sales among marquee artists. Last year, the average concert ticket price drifted toward $50, and that’s not including convenience charges, parking, dinner, and babysitters.
Compare that to a $10 per month Netflix subscription, and you can see why so many Americans choose to stay home each night.
Entertainment’s one of the first things you cut out of your budget when you lose your job or you have to suddenly pay twice as much for a tank of gas. Yet, ticket prices keep rising, as well.
You can do something about this.
Think about what you can do to pull off a “recession buster” gig at a local bar, coffeehouse, or venue in your hometown. Can you team up with four other acts and put together a night with just a $5 cover? What about partnering with the talent buyer or with a beer vendor to offer extra specials?
You might sacrifice some revenue now, but you could build a fan base that appreciates how you found a way to get them out of the house when they needed it the most.