1972: Grateful Dead Make $242,000 In Profit

Thanks Grateful Dead Archive Santa Cruz and Awesome NM

It was never about money and certainly not in 1972.   However, our friend Sam Cutler had turned the ship and the band looks like it made a nifty $242,000 profit in 1972.   This would certainly change in 1973 when the average venue size would grow from about 5,700 seats to 13,500.  We will analyze 1973 soon so let's get back to 1972.


1972 Grateful Dead Economic Analysis

Shows Played: 88
Tickets Sold : 500,000
Average Price: $5
Ticket Revenue: $2.5 million
Estimated Band share: $1.25 million
Estimated other Band revenue (records, merch): $200k

Total Grateful Dead Revenue as reported by Band: $1,424,543

Costs:

Equipment:   $216,000
Road Expenses:   $324,000
Office:    $204,000
Salaries:  $324,000
Tax:    $96,000
Total Costs: $1,200,000

Profit:  $242,543

No 1972 checks, but here are some earlier ones

The Grateful Dead played 88 shows in 1972 sold about 500,000 tickets and generated about $2.5 million in ticket sales.   They filled about 85% of a capacity of about 600,000 (hard to get exact for the big outdoor shows like Bickershaw, Dillion, Folsom and Roosevelt.  There was limited t-shirt and merchandising sales, but according to the accountants (shared to the Deadheads on the mailing list), the Dead's share of this was $1,424,543 (which must also include all money from Warner). Super cool is the breakdown of  overhead which is about $1,200,000, leaving less than $300,000 as profit. Very interesting.

Block A Seat at Wembley: $2.60 (A Bargain in 1972)

Here is a selection of ticket stubs from 1972


There are a few interesting discussions about Money and the Grateful Dead in 1972.

Jan 1971 Dead Letter to Fans

On Europe '72 Tour, Garcia Talks About Money

1972 Shows with Estimated Ticket Sales
Winterland Arena - January 2, 1972 4,860
Winterland Arena - March 5, 1972 4,860
Academy of Music - March 21, 1972 2,258
Academy of Music - March 22, 1972 2,258
Academy of Music - March 23, 1972 2,258
Academy of Music - March 25, 1972 2,258
Academy of Music - March 26, 1972 2,258
Academy of Music - March 27, 1972 2,258
Academy of Music - March 28, 1972 2,258
Winterland Arena - April 4, 1972 4,860
Wembley Empire Pool - April 7, 1972 11,250
Wembley Empire Pool - April 8, 1972 11,250
City Hall - April 11, 1972 2,700
Tivoli Concert Hall - April 14, 1972 2,700
Aarhus University - April 16, 1972 2,700
Tivoli Concert Hall - April 17, 1972 2,700
Beat Club - April 21, 1972 2,700
Rheinhalle - April 24, 1972 2,700
Jahrhundert Halle - April 26, 1972 2,700
Musikhalle - April 29, 1972 2,700
Olympia Theater - May 3, 1972 2,700
Olympia Theater - May 4, 1972 2,700
Bickershaw Festival - May 7, 1972 19,800
Concertgebouw - May 10, 1972 2,700
Rotterdam Civic Hall - May 11, 1972 2,700
Lille Fairgrounds - May 13, 1972 2,700
Radio Luxembourg - May 16, 1972 2,700
Kongressaal - May 18, 1972 2,700
The Strand Lyceum - May 23, 1972 1,890
The Strand Lyceum - May 24, 1972 1,890
The Strand Lyceum - May 25, 1972 1,890
The Strand Lyceum - May 26, 1972 1,890
Hollywood Bowl - June 17, 1972 10,000
Dillon Stadium - July 16, 1972 10,000
Roosevelt Stadium - July 18, 1972 30,000
Paramount Northwest Theatre - July 21, 1972 2,700
Paramount Northwest Theatre - July 22, 1972 2,700
Paramount Theater - July 25, 1972 2,498
Paramount Theater - July 26, 1972 2,498
Sacramento Memorial Auditorium - August 12, 1972 3,480
San Jose Civic Auditorium - August 20, 1972 2,934
Berkeley Community Theatre - August 21, 1972 3,142
Berkeley Community Theatre - August 22, 1972 3,142
Berkeley Community Theatre - August 24, 1972 3,142
Berkeley Community Theatre - August 25, 1972 3,142
Old Renaissance Faire Grounds - August 27, 1972 5,000
Folsom Field - September 3, 1972 48,252
Hollywood Palladium - September 9, 1972 3,330
Hollywood Palladium - September 10, 1972 3,330
Boston Music Hall - September 15, 1972 3,240
Boston Music Hall - September 16, 1972 3,240
Baltimore Civic Center - September 17, 1972 12,600
Roosevelt Stadium - September 19, 1972 36,000
The Spectrum - September 21, 1972 18,369
The Palace Theater - September 23, 1972 2,700
The Palace Theater - September 24, 1972 2,700
Stanley Theatre - September 26, 1972 2,667
Stanley Theatre - September 27, 1972 2,667
Stanley Theatre - September 28, 1972 2,667
Soccer Field - September 30, 1972 4,500
Springfield Civic Center Arena - October 2, 1972 7,200
Winterland Arena - October 9, 1972 4,860
Fox Theatre - October 17, 1972 4,050
Fox Theatre - October 18, 1972 4,050
Fox Theatre - October 19, 1972 4,050
Vanderbilt University - October 21, 1972 4,500
Performing Arts Center - October 23, 1972 4,500
Dallas Memorial Auditorium - October 24, 1972 4,500
Performing Arts Center - October 24, 1972 4,500
Music Hall - October 26, 1972 4,500
Veterans Memorial Auditorium - October 27, 1972 4,500
Cleveland Public Hall - October 28, 1972 9,000
Ford Auditorium - October 30, 1972 4,500
Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall - November 12, 1972 4,500
Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall - November 13, 1972 4,500
Oklahoma City Music Hall - November 14, 1972 4,500
Oklahoma City Music Hall - November 15, 1972 4,500
Century II Convention Hall - November 17, 1972 4,500
Hofheinz Pavilion - November 18, 1972 7,631
Hofheinz Pavilion - November 19, 1972 7,631
Austin Municipal Auditorium - November 22, 1972 4,500
Dallas Memorial Auditorium - November 24, 1972 4,500
San Antonio Civic Auditorium - November 26, 1972 4,500
Winterland Arena - December 10, 1972 4,860
Winterland Arena - December 11, 1972 5,000
Winterland Arena - December 12, 1972 5,000
Long Beach Arena - December 15, 1972 12,782
Winterland Arena - December 31, 1972 5,000

As of comparison: