
fat_fleet
Swollen Member
...Gurus relate that the average 'hardcore' fan will spend about $200 a year on an artist they LOVE/WORSHIP, and that building up 1000 such fans would be enough for a band of 4 to make the equivalent of about 15 dollars an hour after expenses. If anyone thinks the number 1000 hardcore fans is small - it's actually a VERY high goal......
The problem with this picture is there are almost no bands on an indie level that actually produce $200 worth of merch a year for a fan to buy. Even $50 a year is a stretch. I know that I can count on the fingers of one hand how many times I've paid over $20 to see any band, and I've seen hundreds of shows. If you're talking huge mega bands (U2, Rush, Rage Against The Machine etc) who produce overpriced t-shirts and charge mega money for tickets, then sure. But those bands don't have to worry about hitting the 1000 mark.
IMO any business venture that relies on musicians and music fans to survive is pretty much doomed unless you're a huge corporate conglomerate.