Broadway League Audience Demographic Report Lists Online Sales as Most Popular Ticket Buying Option

The Broadway League has released its 13th annual report, The Demographics of the Broadway Audience 2009-2010, which compares current theatergoing habits to previous seasons in predicting trends for the future.

Among the findings in the report is the fact that online purchasing continues to be the most popular method of ticket buying for a sixth year in row. In addition, respondents indicated that critics’ reviews were the most influential factors in selecting what shows to see, followed closely by personal recommendation.

The new study also shows that tourists accounted for 63% of the 11.89 million Broadway admissions during the season and that international tourists accounted for 17% of all admissions to Broadway shows in New York City.

Other findings include 66.3% of the audiences were female and though three quarters of admissions were Caucasians, audiences have become slightly more diverse over the past decade, with Asian theatergoers this season comprising 6.1% of audiences — an increase from 3.9%.

The analysis is based on survey data gleaned from audience questionnaires distributed throughout the 2009-2010 Broadway season in New York City. The report is part of an ongoing series that profiles Broadway theatergoers each season.