Broadway record ticket sales show consumers splurging on experiences
Daniel Radcliffe takes a bow on stage during the curtain call for “Every Brilliant Thing” Opening Night at the Hudson Theater on March 12, 2026 in New York City.
Theo Wargo | Getty Images
Broadway just completed highest-grossing season The record offers another sign that consumers are willing to spend money on experiences even as concerns about inflation and economic uncertainty remain.
The 2025-2026 show season achieved approximately $1.91 billion in ticket sales, breaking the previous year’s record. industry data From the Broadway League.
“Even in a challenging economic environment, Broadway remained markedly on par with last season, reflecting both the resilience of this industry and the connection audiences feel with these productions,” Jason Laks, president of the Broadway League, said in a press release.
Accounting for the extra week included in the previous season, Broadway grosses are up 3.5% this year, attendance is up 1.8% and average ticket prices are up 1.7%.
This comes ahead of Sunday’s Tony Awards, setting a risqué backdrop for the industry’s biggest night. Awards often lead to more ticket sales for winning shows.
While consumers pulled back on some on-demand categories, demand for live entertainment, from concerts to sporting events to theater, remained quite strong.
Broadway has been explicitly mentioned nearly a dozen times in the New York Fed’s beige book as an economic indicator over the past two decades; the last one too in April “ticket sales remained strong,” he said.
But Broadway’s record year underscores a growing problem: Have live performances become too expensive to offset the boom? production costs?
The average Broadway ticket price this season was $131. For a family of four attending a musical, tickets alone can easily exceed $500, not counting transportation, food, and other expenses. In most cases, premium seats cost much more. At higher rates, total expenditures are one day trip with Disney The world of a family of four.
Rising Broadway prices
The industry’s growth is increasingly being driven by high-priced plays featuring major celebrities rather than traditional blockbuster musicals.
35 new productions opened in the 2025-2026 season: 12 musicals, 21 plays and two special plays. Existing intellectual property rights apply to three of the four best new musicals nominated; these include an adaptation of the Apple TV series “Schmigadoon,” the 1980s cult classic film “Lost Boys” and a “Titanique” parody of the Oscar-winning movie “Titanic.”
(L-R) John Riddle, Layton Williams, Constantine Rousouli, Jim Parsons, “Titanic” movie star Victor Garber, Frankie Grande, Marla Mindelle and Melissa Barrera attend St. Paul’s Church in New York City on June 1, 2026. She poses backstage at the Broadway hit musical “Titanique” at the St. James Theatre.
Bruce Glikas | Wire Image | Getty Images
“Producers are becoming much more selective about the economics of a project,” Broadway producer Jim Kierstead said. “There is greater emphasis on recognizable plays, established audiences, limited releases, strategic casting, and productions that can create additional life beyond Broadway through touring, licensing, or international productions.”
According to The Broadway League, 40 productions grossed $40.7 million in this season’s final week, which ended May 24. A revival of “Every Brilliant Thing,” starring Tony-nominated Daniel Radcliffe, led ticket sales.
It’s a similar trend to last season’s box office, which was led by limited releases starring Hollywood names like George Clooney, Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal. Star-studded titles allow producers to charge high prices while avoiding the huge costs and risks associated with releasing a new musical.
And the higher attendance is due to plays rather than musicals. While attendance at plays increased by almost 14% this season, attendance at musicals dropped by 4.7%.
This is good news for sales, as games have generally had higher average prices; for musicals it was $139.55 per ticket compared to $128.83 per ticket.
The 21 games released this season grossed approximately $463 million in total; It’s a figure that has more than doubled the category’s revenue from two seasons ago, and is the second year in a row that games have generated $400 million in revenue.
Experts say rising ticket prices are a reflection not only of demand but also of the cost of putting on a good show.
“The financial hurdles are significant,” Kierstead said.
“Ultimately, the industry understands that long-term sustainability depends on keeping Broadway both economically viable and culturally accessible. If audiences feel priced out, everyone loses,” he added.
— CNBC’s Robert Hum contributed to this report.
