soft ticket
n.— «Most country artists, even many of the ones who score big radio hits, perform on what is known as the “soft ticket” market, meaning venues such as casinos and fairs, where crowds will gather regardless of the act and where performers can make decent guaranteed money without having to count on people paying for a ticket that allows entrance into a concert and nothing else. Someone who pays $60 to see a concert at a stadium, amphitheatre or arena has purchased a “hard ticket.”» —“Brad Paisley moves up from corn dogs to catered meals” by Peter Cooper Tennessean (Nashville) May 21, 2006. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
If you speak a second or third language, you may remember the first time you dreamed in that new tongue. But does this milestone mean you’re actually fluent? And a couple’s dispute over the word regret: Say you wish you’d been able...
While reading Great Expectations (Bookshop|Amazon) by Charles Dickens, a listener in Arlington, Texas, is surprised when one of the characters inherits some money, which Dickens describes as a cool four thousand. Were they really using cool that way...