There really are only a few <i>great</i> conductors in the world.  There is a very real danger that people (like me, presently) would rather stay home and listen to Carlos Kleiber conduct Beethoven 7 rather than head to Avery Fisher to watch an uninspired performance of Maazel conducting the New York Philharmonic.  There is no danger that a significant number of people would rather stay home than attend a performance of Firebird with Gergiev and the Vienna Philharmonic.