noun
gate
The attendance of paying spectators at an event.
The championship game draws the largest gate of the season.
Etymology
The entrance to a paid event supplies the counting point. Gate came to name the people admitted there, as well as the money collected from their admission.
More examples
- Friday's match attracts a gate of nearly ten thousand.
- The teams split the gate after paying the stadium expenses.
- Weekend games usually bring bigger gates than weekday games.
Forms
gate · gates
Similar words
- attendance
- Counts all those present, whether or not they paid admission.
- turnout
- Emphasizes how many people show up, not admission payments.
- receipts
- Means money received, potentially from sources beyond admission fees.