Door Deal

What Is a Door Deal?

A door deal means the artist earns money from ticket sales. The artist does not get a guarantee. Instead, they get a share of what the venue takes in at the door.

For example, the artist might get 50% of the door. If the venue sells 100 tickets at $10 each, the venue takes in $1,000. The artist gets $500.

The artist only makes money if people buy tickets. If no one comes, the artist gets nothing.

When Do Door Deals Make Sense?

Venues with limited budgets benefit from door deals. They only pay the artist based on actual ticket sales. This means they take on less financial risk if turnout is low.

Venues that host many newer artists often prefer door deals. A door deal show means the venue can give new acts a chance without having to commit to a guarantee.

Artists with a strong local draw benefit from door deals. If they can fill a room, they can earn much more than they could with a flat guarantee.

Door deal shows work best for artists when they are performing in cities where they can easily sell tickets. Promoting a show can be a big workload for a band without an established fanbase in the area.