Full Text:

The economy in the United States has taken a hit, and even though people may still be buying the expensive concert ticket they may not be buying anything else. Because disposable income is down for the average American, once the fan is in the venue they may not look to spend on merchandise or concessions, which has become one of the best ways to generate revenue on a tour especially for the promoter and venue itself. Amphitheaters are the most vulnerable in this situation to feeling the pain because ticket grosses are smaller and to make money they have to focus and depend on money brought in from the concession and merchandise. As of right now, things have not slowed down noticeably for the larger tours, but there are worries for the future. The biggest problem is that a lot of concession owners already have contracts out with buildings and it’s hard to cut back costs. As far as merchandise goes, it will be a shame to see its sales slow down when that area has become such an important part in industry growth.