English

Alternative forms

• bums on seats

Noun

bums in seats

1. (plural only, idiomatic, chiefly Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand) Spectators, passengers, or customers in attendance at a venue or other place where people assemble.
   • 1989, Rob Carrick, "Wardair offer urged executives to pay $18,000 for year's travel," Toronto Star (Canada), 28 Feb., p. B8:

     [A]nalyst Doug Galbraith of Runzheimer Canada speculated the airline came up with the card because it was simply "in need of getting bums in seats."

   • 2000 October 6, Daniel Girard, “Ottawa to double Canadian film funding”, in Toronto Star:

     "It's all about bums in seats," Copps said in a downtown Vancouver theatre. While Canadians' movie going is among the highest in the world, films made in Canada […]

   • 2007, "Meet the pro-wrestlers of Auckland," New Zealand Herald (New Zealand), 26 Oct. (retrieved 31 Aug. 2010):

     Wrestlers and promoters began to realise opportunities for gimmicks with broad appeal which would be used to put bums in seats.

   • 2010, "Former Liverpool and Leeds star Robbie Fowler on the move again," Daily Mail (UK), 27 April (retrieved 31 Aug. 2010):

     “He's a quality player and puts bums in seats.”

Usage notes

• Often preceded by the verb put.
• Often used to suggest the importance of satisfactory attendance or occupancy for success or profitability, but sometimes suggestive of the opposite—the importance of attendance regardless of economic advantage.

Synonyms

• warm bodies