Broadway League Survey Finds Online Ticket Sales, Young Audience Members on the Rise

Among the notable result is an increase in the use of the Internet for the purchase of theater tickets, which has seen a 471% growth since the 1999-2000 season, and now accounts for 40% of ticket sales. 22% of respondents said they went directly to the box office, while another 10% said they purchased their tickets over the telephone.

Although the average age of Broadway theatergoers has remained consistent, at 41.5 years old, there has been a marked increase in theatergoers under 18, who made up 12.4% of the total Broadway audience.

The survey noted that tourists accounted for 65% of ticket sales, with domestic tourists responsible for half of all tickets sold, and foreign tourists comprising over 15% of attendance. 31% of Broadway theatergoers reside in the state of New York, while other leading areas of residence include California, Michigan, Washington D.C., Maryland, and Florida. Word of mouth was most important for those seeing a musical, while playgoers were more influenced by critical reviews and articles. Broadway continues to attract repeat theatergoers, with 5% of the audience (representing 30% of ticket sales) attending 15 or more shows.

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