1.2 million shekels in one evening: The real earnings of Liran Danino
Liran Danino takes the stage at the Menora Mivtachim Arena tonight in front of thousands of fans. Yet, behind the glittering performance lies a complex financial reality where a large portion of the revenue is consumed by taxes, rent, and production costs.
When a singer takes the stage at the Menora Mivtachim Arena for the first time, it feels like the pinnacle of their career. The lights go on, thousands shout the lyrics, and the atmosphere is electric. But behind the glittering shell of 5,000 people in the audience, there is a massive financial engine working overtime.
Liran Danino is performing tonight, Thursday, at the Menora Arena. With ticket prices ranging from 179 to 299 shekels, the gross revenue amounts to approximately 1,250,000 shekels. It sounds like a legendary sum for one evening, but this is where the series of deductions begins.
The first partner in the profits is, of course, the state. Out of the 1.25 million shekel turnover, VAT at a rate of 18% immediately takes about 190,000 shekels before a single shekel has been paid for the stage or rent. Then comes the ticket office and distribution commission (about 8%), which takes another 105,000 shekels.
Thus, from the initial revenue of one and a quarter million shekels, only about 950,000 shekels remain net before the doors have even opened. Now we enter the production costs, and the Menora Arena, even in a half-hall configuration, is an incredibly expensive mechanism.
Rent for the hall for such an evening, including setup and dismantling days, hovers around 150,000 shekels. Added to this are the logistics and security envelope—dozens of ushers, security guards, medical teams, cleaning, licensing, and police—which together come to another 100,000 shekels.
But a musical performance of this level is first and foremost a visual experience. Sound equipment, giant lighting, LED screens, a show director, technicians, musicians, new arrangements, rehearsals, and styling and makeup teams cost an additional 250,000 shekels.
Do not forget the social media presence and outdoor signage: a massive advertising and marketing campaign for such a show easily swallows another 80,000 shekels, and payments to copyright bodies (ACUM) require another 40,000 shekels.
Bottom line, the total of all expenses, taxes, and sales commissions stands at about 915,000 shekels. This leaves a net profit of about 335,000 shekels for the production, of which the share that will go directly into Liran Danino's pocket (after distribution with his personal managers and the production company) will stand, according to the highest estimate, at about 200,000 shekels.
