Spanish bullfighting faces steep decline despite public subsidies
Bullfighting events dropped 70% in a decade, with 525 towns canceling them. Yet, public funding continues to flow.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
The future of Spanish bullfighting: 525 lost towns and millions in public funds
An image of the Oviedo bullring, half-demolished and overgrown with weeds, has become a symbol of the industry's decline. It is not an isolated case. The numbers speak for themselves: according to 2016 Ministry of Culture data cited by El Periódico, the number of bullfights in Spain has fallen nearly 70% in ten years. Córdoba lost 44,000 spectators between 2007 and 2017, and an editorial in Mundotoro acknowledged that 525 towns have stopped holding bullfighting festivals due to lack of economic viability.
Data on the decay
The trend is relentless. Bullrings are emptying out even in major venues like Las Ventas, where average occupancy has dropped below 50% for many events. The crisis has accelerated in small towns, where organizing a festival requires subsidies that many city councils can no longer afford or are unwilling to pay. According to proponents themselves, the traditional business model has broken down: expenses (bullfighters, ranches, insurance) far exceed ticket revenue.
Million-euro subsidies amid decline
Despite falling demand, public administrations continue to inject money. The Community of Madrid increased aid to bullfighting in 2021, including municipalizing the bullfighting school. City councils governed by both PP and PSOE maintain budget lines for bullfights, while others, such as Oviedo (controlled by left-wing parties), have chosen to close their rings citing lack of use and maintenance costs. The political debate is set: some see it as an unsustainable bailout of a dying spectacle; others view it as an ideological attack on a cultural tradition protected by the Constitution.
Is there a future for bullfighting?
Defenders point out that stands fill up during San Isidro (Madrid) and in some towns in Castellón. In June 2024, eight municipalities in Castellón scheduled bullfighting events. But these are exceptions that prove the rule. The question is how long these pockets can survive without a constant flow of public money. For now, the photo of the Oviedo ring summarizes better than any report what is happening: a business that cannot sustain itself without state handouts.
Related forum discussions
An image of the Oviedo bullring, half-demolished and overgrown with weeds, has become a symbol of the industry's decline. It is not an isolated case. The numbers speak for themselves: according to 2016 Ministry of Culture data cited by El Periódico, the number of bullfights in Spain has fallen nearly 70% in ten years. Córdoba lost 44,000 spectators between 2007 and 2017, and an editorial in Mundotoro acknowledged that 525 towns have stopped holding bullfighting festivals due to lack of economic viability.
Data on the decay
The trend is relentless. Bullrings are emptying out even in major venues like Las Ventas, where average occupancy has dropped below 50% for many events. The crisis has accelerated in small towns, where organizing a festival requires subsidies that many city councils can no longer afford or are unwilling to pay. According to proponents themselves, the traditional business model has broken down: expenses (bullfighters, ranches, insurance) far exceed ticket revenue.
Million-euro subsidies amid decline
Despite falling demand, public administrations continue to inject money. The Community of Madrid increased aid to bullfighting in 2021, including municipalizing the bullfighting school. City councils governed by both PP and PSOE maintain budget lines for bullfights, while others, such as Oviedo (controlled by left-wing parties), have chosen to close their rings citing lack of use and maintenance costs. The political debate is set: some see it as an unsustainable bailout of a dying spectacle; others view it as an ideological attack on a cultural tradition protected by the Constitution.
Is there a future for bullfighting?
Defenders point out that stands fill up during San Isidro (Madrid) and in some towns in Castellón. In June 2024, eight municipalities in Castellón scheduled bullfighting events. But these are exceptions that prove the rule. The question is how long these pockets can survive without a constant flow of public money. For now, the photo of the Oviedo ring summarizes better than any report what is happening: a business that cannot sustain itself without state handouts.
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Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (168 replies).
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