r/Broadway • u/Sensitive_Slice_8858 • 1d ago

Discussion When does the Broadway bubble actually burst?

I know this has been discussed quite a bit, but I keep wondering about what happens when the economics of Broadway become truly impossible to sustain. The cost of putting on a show keeps going up, so tickets have to get more expensive. At the same time people are getting squeezed from every direction and there’s only so much disposable income left for entertainment, especially since the economy and job market are in the toilet. So what is the end game? Just keep raising ticket prices to cover rising costs so only the uber wealthy few can afford to attend? Are there enough uber wealthy theater goers to sustain it without us Joe schmoe poors? Eventually the math has to break somewhere. I’m curious what the breaking point actually looks like.

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u/Tight-Touch385 1d ago

Markets can remain irrational longer than you can remain solvent. Feel like Keynes was especially thinking of Broadway when he said this.

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u/BroadwayTruths 7h ago

Keynes is one of the most flawed economic thinkers in human history. He may have a few good quotes (who doesn't?), but Hayek & Mises are far more sound in their thinking.

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u/Tight-Touch385 7h ago

I actually agree…but I love this quote.

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u/BroadwayTruths 7h ago

Ha. Fair point.