The sad story of Britney Spears unraveled a little more Thursday morning.
At the same time, media have made an industry out of documenting every sad frame of Spears' troubles.
Portfolio.com did what it calls a "back of the napkin" calculation of what the
Britney economy looks like, estimating that she generates at least
$110 million in business:
Recent court documents suggest she's amassed a $125 million fortune and
continues to rake in about $737,000 a month, or nearly $9 million a
year. But that's chicken feed compared with the overall Britney
economy.
Estimated annual take for record company, promoters, licensers, and others: $30 million to $40 million
The Packagers
Britney has sold 83 million records since the release of her debut
album in 1999, bringing in more than $400 million to Jive Records, her
recording company. Even her 2007 album sold well, despite her troubles.
Her tours have grossed nearly $150 million; the average take for her
265 solo shows is $583,138, according to Pollstar, which tracks touring
data. But there's a lot more of Britney for sale than her music: Pure
Nightclub in Las Vegas reportedly sold seats at a table next to hers
for $50,000 at a recent bash, and she still commands between $250,000
and $400,000 just for showing up at events.
Elizabeth Arden has sold nearly $100 million worth of its Britney perfumes—Believe, Curious, and Fantasy.
PepsiCo determined that it was worth paying her a reported $4 million to $10 million for a short-lived ad gig.
The Paparazzi A Britney photo garners anywhere from $250 (for a run-of-the-mill shot of her at
Starbucks
to $100,000 or more. The photo agency X17, which has a team trailing
her 24-7, estimates that Britney accounts for 30 percent of its
revenue: It sold $2.5 million worth of Britney photos in 2007 alone,
including $500,000 for its exclusive Bald Britney pics. Competitor
Splash News says that Britney accounts for 10 to 15 percent of its
business, boosted this year by $200,000 for photos of Britney in a hot
tub. All told, Britney probably makes up a full 20 percent of the
paparazzi business.
Estimated average annual take: $4 million
The Media
If it seems like every time you see a newsstand, Britney is on the
cover of another magazine, that's only because…she is. A celebrity
tabloid with Britney Spears on the cover sells 1.28 million newsstand
copies, some 33 percent more than the average. Between January 2006 and
July 2007, Britney was a cover subject of
People, Us Weekly, In Touch, Life & Style, OK!, or
Star
a total of 175 times in just 78 weeks. During that period, newsstand
sales of issues with her on the cover amounted to a staggering $360
million. She's also topped the annual
Yahoo
Search rankings in six of the past seven years, slipping to No. 2 only
in 2004, when Paris Hilton briefly stole her crown. Searches for
Britney were up 60 percent in 2007, the year of her divorce, shaved
head, and car wreck. "If there was no Britney, would all Web traffic
stop?" asks Vera Chan, senior editor at Yahoo. "I would hesitate to
give her that much power, but it's hard to argue with the facts."
Estimated average annual take: $75 million
K-Fed
The most famous ex in America, Kevin Federline is living large off his
Britney-fueled image. Nightclubs reportedly pay him about $30,000 just
for appearing. And he gets $35,000 a month from Britney in spousal and
child-support payments.
Estimated average annual take: $1 million
The Bottom Line
Britney's peak touring and recording years are surely behind her, but
the public's fascination with her chaotic life continues to mint money
for those selling her image.
Estimated annual value of the Britney Spears economy: $110 million to $120 million
