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Promoter deal calculator

Every deal starts from the box office: GBOR is tickets sold × price, and NBOR is GBOR after taxes and fees. The deal decides the artist payment; the promoter keeps NBOR − show expenses − the artist payment. Compare a guarantee, a versus deal, an 80/20 split and a door deal side by side.

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The show and the deal

Box office

What comes off GBOR to reach NBOR, per the contract.

Venue, production, marketing, staff. Not the artist payment.

Adds a table at 25, 50, 75 and 100% sold.

Deal terms

Used by the guarantee, versus and split deals.

Of NBOR after show expenses.

Taken before the split.

80 for an 80/20 deal.

Costs taken before the door split. If they are part of your show expenses, enter them there too: the promoter result is NBOR − show expenses − artist payment.

Result

GBOR
$12,000
400 × $30.00
Taxes and fees
$1,200
NBOR
$10,800
GBOR − taxes and fees
NBOR after expenses
$5,800
At 400 tickets sold. Promoter = NBOR − show expenses − artist.
DealArtistPromoter
Flat guarantee$2,000$3,800
Guarantee versus percentage$4,930$870
Guarantee plus split (80/20)$4,240$1,560
Door deal$4,060$1,740

Flat guarantee: the working

  1. Artist: the guarantee, $2,000
  2. Promoter: NBOR $10,800 − expenses $5,000 − artist $2,000 = $3,800

Guarantee versus percentage: the working

  1. Net after expenses: NBOR $10,800 − expenses $5,000 = $5,800
  2. 85% of $5,800 = $4,930
  3. Artist: the greater of the guarantee $2,000 and $4,930 = $4,930
  4. Promoter: NBOR $10,800 − expenses $5,000 − artist $4,930 = $870

Guarantee plus split (80/20): the working

  1. Split point: guarantee $2,000 + expenses $5,000 + promoter profit $1,000 = $8,000
  2. Above the split point: NBOR $10,800 − $8,000 = $2,800
  3. Artist: guarantee $2,000 + 80% of $2,800 ($2,240) = $4,240
  4. Promoter: NBOR $10,800 − expenses $5,000 − artist $4,240 = $1,560

Door deal: the working

  1. Door after agreed costs: NBOR $10,800 − $5,000 = $5,800
  2. Artist: 70% of $5,800 = $4,060
  3. Promoter: NBOR $10,800 − expenses $5,000 − artist $4,060 = $1,740
Artist payment at 25, 50, 75 and 100% of 500 sold
SoldNBORGuaranteeVersus80/20 splitDoor deal
25% (125)$3,375$2,000$2,000$2,000$0
50% (250)$6,750$2,000$2,000$2,000$1,225
75% (375)$10,125$2,000$4,356.25$3,700$3,587.50
100% (500)$13,500$2,000$7,225$6,400$5,950
Promoter result at 25, 50, 75 and 100% of 500 sold
SoldNBORGuaranteeVersus80/20 splitDoor deal
25% (125)$3,375-$3,625-$3,625-$3,625-$1,625
50% (250)$6,750-$250-$250-$250$525
75% (375)$10,125$3,125$768.75$1,425$1,537.50
100% (500)$13,500$6,500$1,275$2,100$2,550

How is each deal calculated?

Start with GBOR, take off the taxes and fees the contract allows to reach NBOR, then apply the deal. A guarantee is fixed; a versus deal pays the greater of the guarantee and a percentage of the net; an 80/20 deal adds a split above the split point; a door deal pays a share of the door.

What the artist is paid under each deal type
DealArtist paymentIn words
Flat guaranteeGuaranteeA fixed fee, whatever sells.
Guarantee versus percentagemax(guarantee, versus % × (NBOR − show expenses))The greater of the guarantee and a share of the net.
Guarantee plus split (80/20)Guarantee + split % × max(0, NBOR − (guarantee + show expenses + promoter profit))The guarantee, plus a share of what is left once costs and the promoter’s profit are covered.
Door dealDoor % × (NBOR − agreed door costs)A share of the door, after agreed costs, instead of a fixed fee.
GBOR
Tickets sold × average ticket price
NBOR
GBOR − taxes and fees
Promoter result
NBOR − show expenses − artist payment

Show expenses never include the artist payment.

Split point (80/20)
Guarantee + show expenses + promoter profit
Door split base
NBOR − agreed door costs

Door costs are taken before the split. If they are part of your show expenses, enter them there too; the promoter result is still NBOR − show expenses − artist payment.

Real contracts vary: the base can be gross or net, expenses can be capped, and bonuses or plus-backs change the numbers. This calculator uses the formulas above; check them against your contract, and settle on the signed terms.

Worked example: 400 tickets at $30

GBOR $12,000, 10% taxes and fees, NBOR $10,800, show expenses $5,000, guarantee $2,000. Illustrative numbers, not a real show.

Flat guarantee

Artist $2,000 · Promoter $3,800

  1. Artist: the guarantee, $2,000
  2. Promoter: NBOR $10,800 − expenses $5,000 − artist $2,000 = $3,800

Guarantee versus percentage

Artist $4,930 · Promoter $870

  1. Net after expenses: NBOR $10,800 − expenses $5,000 = $5,800
  2. 85% of $5,800 = $4,930
  3. Artist: the greater of the guarantee $2,000 and $4,930 = $4,930
  4. Promoter: NBOR $10,800 − expenses $5,000 − artist $4,930 = $870

Guarantee plus split (80/20)

Artist $4,240 · Promoter $1,560

  1. Split point: guarantee $2,000 + expenses $5,000 + promoter profit $1,000 = $8,000
  2. Above the split point: NBOR $10,800 − $8,000 = $2,800
  3. Artist: guarantee $2,000 + 80% of $2,800 ($2,240) = $4,240
  4. Promoter: NBOR $10,800 − expenses $5,000 − artist $4,240 = $1,560

Door deal

Artist $4,060 · Promoter $1,740

  1. Door after agreed costs: NBOR $10,800 − $5,000 = $5,800
  2. Artist: 70% of $5,800 = $4,060
  3. Promoter: NBOR $10,800 − expenses $5,000 − artist $4,060 = $1,740

Questions

What is a versus deal?

In a versus deal the artist is paid the greater of a guarantee or a percentage of the net, usually NBOR after show expenses. Formula: Artist payment = max(guarantee, percentage × (NBOR − show expenses)). A $2,000 guarantee versus 85% of net: with NBOR of $11,000 and expenses of $6,000, 85% of $5,000 is $4,250, so the artist is paid $4,250.

Versus deal: definition

How does an 80/20 deal work?

An 80/20 deal splits the money left after costs 80% to the artist and 20% to the promoter; exact terms vary by contract. Formula: Artist bonus = 80% × (NBOR − guarantee − expenses − promoter profit). NBOR of $11,000, a $2,000 guarantee, $6,000 of expenses and $600 of promoter profit leave $2,400; the artist gets $2,000 + 80% of $2,400 = $3,920.

80/20 deal: definition

What is a door deal?

In a door deal the artist is paid a percentage of the door, the ticket and walk-up money, instead of a fixed guarantee. Formula: Artist payment = percentage × (door receipts − agreed costs). A 70% door deal on $3,000 of receipts after $400 of agreed costs pays the artist $1,820.

Door deal: definition

What is the difference between GBOR and NBOR?

GBOR, gross box office receipts, is the total face value of tickets sold for a show before any deductions. NBOR, net box office receipts, is the gross box office after taxes and agreed ticket fees are deducted; artist percentages are usually calculated on it.

GBOR: definitionNBOR: definition

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