Guides › Show deals explained: guarantee, versus, plus and door deals
Show deals explained: guarantee, versus, plus and door deals
Updated October 7, 2026 · 3 min read
The deal in your contract decides what you get paid. Understanding how each type works lets you budget realistically, settle confidently and spot mistakes. Here are the common types with worked examples. Real contracts vary, so always read yours closely.
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Show settlement sheet
Box office, show expenses, guarantee, versus and plus-backend deal math, merch split, deposits and balance due, all with formulas.
See the complete free resource library for budgets, riders, checklists and more.
Flat guarantee
The promoter pays a fixed amount whatever the ticket sales. Simple and predictable. Good for newer acts or risky markets; the promoter takes all the upside and all the risk.
Example: a $1,000 guarantee pays $1,000 whether 50 or 500 people come.
Guarantee versus a percentage ("versus" deal)
The artist gets the greater of the guarantee or a percentage of the money left after expenses. The percentage is often of net receipts after approved show expenses, sometimes after a promoter profit too.
Example (EXAMPLE numbers): guarantee $2,500 versus 70% of net after expenses. Net ticket receipts are $7,620 and approved expenses $3,900, leaving $3,720. 70% of $3,720 is $2,604, which beats the guarantee, so the artist gets $2,604. If net receipts were only $5,000, 70% of $1,100 is $770, so the artist gets the $2,500 guarantee.
Guarantee plus a backend ("plus" deal)
The artist gets the guarantee plus a percentage of the money above a break-even point. Break-even is usually the expenses plus the guarantee (and sometimes promoter profit).
Example: $2,000 guarantee plus 85% after break-even of $6,000. If net receipts are $7,000, the backend is 85% of $1,000 = $850, for a total of $2,850.
Door deal
The artist gets a percentage of the door, sometimes after a house fee or production cost, with no guarantee. Common at small clubs and DIY shows. Know exactly what comes off the top before you agree.
Break-even
Break-even is the ticket revenue at which the promoter covers all costs (including your guarantee). Ticket sales beyond break-even are where percentage deals pay off. Knowing the break-even point tells you how many tickets need to sell before backend money starts.
Things that change the math
- Expense caps: a contract may cap what the promoter can deduct.
- Promoter profit: some deals give the promoter a percentage on top of expenses before the split.
- Ticket fees and taxes: check what comes off gross before "net".
- Comps: too many comps reduce sellable tickets.
- Merch fees: separate from the ticket deal, but settled the same night.
Budgeting with deals
Budget the guarantee only. Treat any percentage as upside unless you have real sales history in that room. If you do, budget a cautious version of it.
Questions to ask about any deal
- Is the percentage of gross or net? Net of what exactly?
- Which expenses can be deducted, and are they capped?
- Is there a promoter profit before the split?
- How are comps counted?
- When and how is the deposit paid?
- How and when is the balance paid on the night?
Deal terms in the contract
The deal section of a contract is short, but every word matters. "70% of net after expenses" and "70% of gross" are very different numbers. If anything is unclear, ask your agent before show day, not at settlement.
How TRMNGR helps
The Deal Worksheet in each show’s TRMNGR settlement has a Deal Type (Guarantee, vs % or Guarantee + backend), Guarantee, Artist % and Break Even fields and calculates Artist Share from the box office numbers. The free settlement sheet below does the same math in a spreadsheet with a deal-type dropdown.