gate money: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1/C2 (Low frequency, domain-specific)Formal, historical, journalistic (sports/business context)
Quick answer
What does “gate money” mean?
A sum of money paid to spectators for admission to a sporting event or other entertainment.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A sum of money paid to spectators for admission to a sporting event or other entertainment; historically, a player's share of the total admission receipts for a match in which they participated.
1. Revenue generated from ticket sales for an event. 2. In professional sports (especially historically), a payment made to a player based on the number of paying spectators. 3. More broadly, any funds collected at an entrance.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Both varieties understand the term, but it is more prevalent in UK historical sports journalism, particularly regarding cricket and rugby. In US contexts, it might appear in historical baseball writing or business analyses of 'gate receipts'.
Connotations
UK: Often evokes early-to-mid 20th century professional sports, amateurism debates, and cricket. US: More strongly tied to the business side of sports and entertainment revenue.
Frequency
Rare in everyday language in both regions. More likely found in specialist historical or sports economics texts.
Grammar
How to Use “gate money” in a Sentence
The club [verb: collected] gate money.Gate money was [verb: divided] among the players.Their income [verb: consisted] of gate money.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “gate money” in a Sentence
noun
British English
- The cricketer's sole remuneration was a modest portion of the gate money.
- Gate money from the cup final was donated to charity.
- Disputes over gate money led to the formation of the professional league.
American English
- Gate money was the primary revenue source for early baseball clubs.
- The promoter kept a large percentage of the gate money.
- They argued over how to split the night's gate money.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Analysis of event profitability: 'Gate money accounted for 60% of the tournament's total revenue.'
Academic
Historical studies of sports professionalism: 'The 1895 split in rugby was fundamentally about the right to earn gate money.'
Everyday
Virtually unused.
Technical
Sports economics: 'Gate money elasticity refers to how ticket demand changes with price.'
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “gate money”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “gate money”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “gate money”
- Using it for modern player salaries (it's historical). Saying 'gate moneys' (uncountable). Confusing it with 'prize money'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Not exactly. 'Gate money' refers to the collective revenue from all tickets sold, not the price of a single ticket. It emphasizes the total sum taken at the gate.
Typically, no. Modern professional athletes have contracts with salaries, bonuses, and share in revenue like TV rights, not direct shares of daily ticket sales. The term is now largely historical or used for the event's total revenue, not individual pay.
Yes, though it's less common. It can technically refer to admission revenue for concerts, exhibitions, or fairs, but 'box office receipts' or simply 'ticket sales' are more frequent terms.
They are virtually synonymous. 'Gate receipts' is perhaps slightly more formal and common in financial reporting, while 'gate money' can feel slightly more historical or colloquial.
A sum of money paid to spectators for admission to a sporting event or other entertainment.
Gate money is usually formal, historical, journalistic (sports/business context) in register.
Gate money: in British English it is pronounced /ˈɡeɪt ˌmʌni/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈɡeɪt ˌmʌni/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None directly. Related: 'To play for gate money' (historical).”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine an old-fashioned turnstile GATE at a football ground, with a cashier collecting MONEY from each fan passing through.
Conceptual Metaphor
MONEY IS A FLUID (gate money 'flows in', is 'pooled', 'split', 'divided').
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the term 'gate money' MOST historically significant?