What are U2's ticket sales in the US ?

[phommel]

Here i found livenation's announcement:

Dallas / Fort Worth (Arlington), TX – October 1, 2009 – Due to overwhelming demand for U2 tickets, Live Nation announced today they are releasing Party Pass tickets to the show at Cowboys Stadium on October 12th. These general admission tickets offer an excellent view and will be priced at $30 each.

The 360° Tour features a round stage positioned on the stadium floor with the band surrounded by their audience, the natural progression of their previous tours. By elevating the sound and lighting equipment, the walls that traditionally obscure performers from their audience are removed. This has also allowed greater capacity and a lower general ticket price.

The stage is designed by long-time collaborator Willie Williams and architect Mark Fisher who have worked together with U2 since ZooTv. Advances in technology and digital communication have allowed Williams to create an overhead expandable cylindrical screen made up of 500,000 pixels.

“The band has been moving further into the crowd with every tour. Tonight they've arrived. Willie and Mark have spent five years perfecting this beautiful and extraordinary frame, once the crowd came in tonight, we got lift-off!” said U2 manager Paul McGuinness, of the band’s tour kickoff show at Barcelona's Nou Camp stadium.

“U2 has always put on the most exciting live show. They've really raised the bar with this production they want the best for their fans and based on the reaction they have absolutely delivered” said Arthur Fogel, CEO Global Touring/Chairman - Global Music Live Nation.

The U2 360 Tour started in Chicago September 12th and will play 20 shows in North America. In 2009, in just 44 shows the tour will perform for over 3 million fans.

$30 PARTY PASS TICKETS ON SALE NOW

Tickets available at LiveNation.com, Ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster outlets or charge by phone at 1-800-745-3000

According to LiveNation, only 5,000 party pass tickets will be available

 

[robbrecon72]

there is something like 3 open decks on each side of the end zones so it like being in the GA but up in the tiers its not watching it on tv

 

[jetro]

if they are only releasing 5k then that is a good deal. You are right there are 3 decks on one side and 2 on the other. Many of those 5k will have a better view than many people paying a much higher price....they just won't have a seat.....and they better not move just like GA on the pitch. And it is not outside.

 

[coolian2]

really? that's weird!! I cannot believe U2 participates in these kind of things...

yeah, they offer it for football. i can't understand the appeal. looks like i was wrong on what it's about this time, though...

there is something like 3 open decks on each side of the end zones so it like being in the GA but up in the tiers its not watching it on tv

actually, that seems like a pretty good deal to me!

 

[austindeadhead]

Dallas

I'll be there Monday, section 128, row 8 (near the end-zone, but low in the lowest deck)...

There appears to have been a pretty large ticket drop for Dallas. A few days ago, you couldn't find two seats together except for the highest deck. Now, you can find 9(!) seats together on the sixth row of the lowest deck in club seating - great, $250 level seats at about nine o'clock.

Also, the 5,000 $30 Party Pass SRO seats aren't sold out.

My gut tells me Dallas won't be a sell-out, but will still have a large crowd of well over 70,000...it's a BIG stadium...I mean like Rose Bowl capacity, but with a much smaller population to draw from than L.A...

Can't wait for the show!...

 

[The_acrobat]

In 1997, U2 had 15,000 people in Tampa. Granted, there were also stops in Jacksonville and Miami, but it's amazing that 12 years later they are going to play to 70,000 people in Tampa. Jacksonville in 1997 only had 14,000 people in attendance, and I think Miami had around 40,000 or less. So this show is going to play to more people than U2's 3 Popmart Florida shows. AMAZING! Just imagine if they had a hit album/single right now... ticket sales would be even more staggering than they are now.

I would imagine that the US shows for next year will not sell as well. Places like Ohio, Wisconsin, Missouri etc will probably not yield very good sales. Nevertheless, I will be front row, center when they come to Ohio. Can't wait!! Then again... who would've thought Raleigh or Tampa would have sold as well as they did. Who would've thought U2 would even try playing a stadium in Oklahoma?? Very exciting indeed.

 

[Maoilbheannacht]

In 1997, U2 had 15,000 people in Tampa. Granted, there were also stops in Jacksonville and Miami, but it's amazing that 12 years later they are going to play to 70,000 people in Tampa. Jacksonville in 1997 only had 14,000 people in attendance, and I think Miami had around 40,000 or less. So this show is going to play to more people than U2's 3 Popmart Florida shows. .

Here is how those three shows on POPMART did:

November 10, 1997
Tampa, Florida
Houlihan's Stadium
GROSS: $893,865
ATTENDANCE: 17,776
SHOWS: 1
SELLOUTS: 0
Average Ticket Price: $50.29

November 12, 1997
Jacksonville, Florida
Alltel Stadium
GROSS: $726,217
ATTENDANCE: 14,491
SHOWS: 1
SELLOUTS: 0
Average Ticket Price: $50.12

November 14, 1997
Miami, Florida
Pro Player Stadium
GROSS: $2,158,988
ATTENDANCE: 42,778
SHOWS: 1
SELLOUTS: 0
Average Ticket Price: $50.47

Just imagine if they had a hit album/single right now... ticket sales would be even more staggering than they are now.

But they do have a hit album right now! NLOTH is the 2nd biggest selling album of 2009 WORLDWIDE! It is the 11th biggest selling album in the United States in 2009.

For albums released in 2009, in the United States, it is the 4th biggest seller.

I would imagine that the US shows for next year will not sell as well.

Well, I think shows in the following cities will sell just as well if not better than the shows on the first leg in North America:

Edmonton
Winnipeg
Montreal
Hartford
New York City
Philadelphia
Baltimore
Miami
Seattle
San Francisco
San Diego
Salt Lake City
Denver
Los Angeles


Its only the following cities that will be a little more difficult:

Minneapolis
Madison
St. Louis
Lansing
Cincinnati
Pittsburgh

Live Nation probably will only book them in markets where they are going to sell at least 45,000 tickets and they obviously feel that U2 can do this in these more 2nd tier markets do the increases in the bands popularity as a result of the past two albums and tours.

For most stadiums, just to have the field, and lower level filled up requires about 40,000 to 50,000 people since they are playing in a 360 configeration. The upper level requires even more, but as long as they fill up the field and lower level, and at least half of the upper level, they consider it a market worth doing I think.

 

[The_acrobat]

Here is how those three shows on POPMART did:

Live Nation probably will only book them in markets where they are going to sell at least 45,000 tickets and they obviously feel that U2 can do this in these more 2nd tier markets do the increases in the bands popularity as a result of the past two albums and tours.

For most stadiums, just to have the field, and lower level filled up requires about 40,000 to 50,000 people since they are playing in a 360 configeration. The upper level requires even more, but as long as they fill up the field and lower level, and at least half of the upper level, they consider it a market worth doing I think.

I can guarantee you that a U2 stadium show in Ohio would not sell out. Cleveland probably has the drawing power, but not when it's sandwiched between potential Detroit and Pittsburgh shows. But I really hope they still come here. I mean, if they play in Oklahoma City, they surely have to play in Ohio, right??

 

[weinerdog]

Its only the following cities that will be a little more difficult:

Minneapolis
Madison
St. Louis
Lansing
Cincinnati
Pittsburgh

I think Minneapolis sells out easily, especially if it's the first concert at the new Gopher stadium. Capacity there is also much less than many other college stadiums. The only way they'd have a tough time is if they were foolish enough to have it at metrodome, but I can't see that happening. A star trib article mentions the U2 possibility:

http://www.tin yurl.com/yjy9s9d

 

[Maoilbheannacht]

I can guarantee you that a U2 stadium show in Ohio would not sell out. Cleveland probably has the drawing power, but not when it's sandwiched between potential Detroit and Pittsburgh shows. But I really hope they still come here. I mean, if they play in Oklahoma City, they surely have to play in Ohio, right??

They have played Ohio on every tour since Boy. They will play Pittsburgh, but I've heard they will be playing Lansing Michigan instead of Detroit. By playing Cincinnati, they will be playing a part of Ohio that would be uneffected by shows in Lansing Michigan or Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. In addition, they have not played Cincinnati since 1981, sort of a similar situation with Norman Oklahoma not being played since 1983. If they supply more $30 dollar tickets than usual and get some good support from people in Kentucky, Indiana and some from Columbus Ohio, I think the show could do well even if it does not sellout.

 

[Maoilbheannacht]

I think Minneapolis sells out easily, especially if it's the first concert at the new Gopher stadium. Capacity there is also much less than many other college stadiums. The only way they'd have a tough time is if they were foolish enough to have it at metrodome, but I can't see that happening. A star trib article mentions the U2 possibility:

http://www.tin yurl.com/yjy9s9d

U2 has only played one stadium show in Minneapolis before, which was on the POPMART tour:

October 29, 1997
Minneapolis, MN
Metrodome
GROSS: $1,471,800
ATTENDANCE: 28,724
SHOWS: 1
SELLOUTS: 0
Average Ticket Price: $51.24

 

[beau99]

Again, the largest number of people U2 had ever played to in Dallas prior to the 360 tour was 39,000 on the ZOO TV tour. U2 will be playing to nearly twice that many people at the 360 performance which is amazing. No one has ever played to 80,000 or more people at a non-festival ticketed concert in the state of Texas. Even if the show does not sellout, it will likely set the attendance record for concert in the history of the state of TEXAS.

The only reason the George Strait concert was able to sellout earlier this year was because it was playing in a configeration that only allowed there to be 60,000 tickets sold. U2 360 attendance appears to be way ahead of that.

The U2 show in Dallas does not actually have to sellout to set the state attendance and gross records for a concert.

Even though a Tejano band (whose name escapes me) has the Texas record for most attended at a stadium concert (over 105,000) at Reliant Stadium in Houston?

 

[Chino]

Ticket sales seem better than I thought

I am watching videos on YouTube from their tour in USA and the stadiums look full or almost full. Thought we would see half-empty stadiums like POPMART.

I am not sure how the rest of the dates will do (Norman Houston, etc.) but, oh well.

 

[coolian2]

I am watching videos on YouTube from their tour in USA and the stadiums look full or almost full. Thought we would see half-empty stadiums like POPMART.

I am not sure how the rest of the dates will do (Norman Houston, etc.) but, oh well.

http://www.u2interference.com/forums/f225/what-are-u2s-ticket-sales-in-the-us-200097.html



plus i thought it was pretty common knowledge that u2 were selling well on this tour

 

[Maoilbheannacht]

Even though a Tejano band (whose name escapes me) has the Texas record for most attended at a stadium concert (over 105,000) at Reliant Stadium in Houston?

1. Reliant Stadium has a seating capacity of 71,500. The field would only add another 15,000 max, for a maximum concert capacity in a 360 format of 86,500. It would be impossible to fit over 105,000 people into Reliant Stadium. Just because you read that it happened somewhere on the internet or in a newspaper does not mean that it did.

2. Any record has to be certified with the official boxoffice results. Boxoffice results for concerts are posted every week in Billboard Magazine and on Billboard.com.

3. Was the event your talking about a non-festival, ticketed concert? Playing at the Houston Livestock show and Rodeo obviously does not count.

Most stadium shows in a stadium the size of Reliant Stadium would only be able to do about 55,000 to 60,000 people maximum, because most concert staging blocks off thousands of seats. U2's new unique concert stage allows them to use seats that would normally be behind the stage.


Reliant Stadium was opened in 2002. Do you know when this alleged concert happened at the stadium that you claim holds the record? Was the concert in a 360 configuration? If not, there is no way they could hold the record for Texas.

 

[Popmartijn]

I am watching videos on YouTube from their tour in USA and the stadiums look full or almost full. Thought we would see half-empty stadiums like POPMART.

I am not sure how the rest of the dates will do (Norman Houston, etc.) but, oh well.

I think that was a common misperception of some people. The fact that not every stadium has sold out up to the last possible person they can fit in there, does not mean that the stadium is half-empty.

Yes, I know that all shows reported up to now have been technical sell-outs. But that does not mean all tickets were sold for every show, as there have been differences in attendance between two shows in the same venue. One would set a record for attendance and the other one would have around 5,000 (or more) people less in attendance.
Still, even with 5,000 people less in attendance, that still means that the stadium was more than 90% full.

So U2's ticket sales in the USA are excellent for this tour.

 

[Chino]

I think that was a common misperception of some people. The fact that not every stadium has sold out up to the last possible person they can fit in there, does not mean that the stadium is half-empty.

Yes, I know that all shows reported up to now have been technical sell-outs. But that does not mean all tickets were sold for every show, as there have been differences in attendance between two shows in the same venue. One would set a record for attendance and the other one would have around 5,000 (or more) people less in attendance.
Still, even with 5,000 people less in attendance, that still means that the stadium was more than 90% full.

So U2's ticket sales in the USA are excellent for this tour.

Yep! Ticket sales seem great! I guess Norman, Oklahoma, would be the lowest unless ticket sales pick up in a few days before the show. I think Houston is pretty low too or I might be wrong. Will check ticketmaster again.

 

[powerhour24]

Norman still seems to be doing better than I feared it might.

The box scores have been soooooo slow updating on this leg.

 

[beau99]

Well Phoenix has finally sold all of its GA's.

Still plenty of tickets left in the other sections though.

Despite U2.com reporting it as a sellout. They fail.

 

[fedeu2]

Well Phoenix has finally sold all of its GA's.

Still plenty of tickets left in the other sections though.

Despite U2.com reporting it as a sellout. They fail.

It´s more than a week to go yet. It will sell out.

 

[powerhour24]

U2.com doesn't list Phoenix as sold out, it lists the trip packages as sold-out.

 

[beau99]

U2.com doesn't list Phoenix as sold out, it lists the trip packages as sold-out.

Oh... guess I was reading it wrong.

 

[robbrecon72]

I just got back from the Dallas show and that stadium was packed to the rim! even Bono's first response was, "wow!" and then told the crowd, "thanks for a full house"

 

[genesis199125]

I just got back from the Dallas show and that stadium was packed to the rim! even Bono's first response was, "wow!" and then told the crowd, "thanks for a full house"

yeah, i was really surprised.....i did not expect that many people to be there, but im glad! always a better atmosphere when there's a lot of people.

 

[robbrecon72]

u2 1,2,3,4 top boxscore positions this week

FedEx Field
$6,718,315
84,754/84,754
1/1

Georgia Dome
$5,746,430
61,419/61,419
1/1

Carter-Finely Stadium
$4,962,240
55,027/55,027
1/1

Scott Stadium
$4,738,695
52,433/52,433
1/1

 

[Mrs. Garrison]

yeah, i was really surprised.....i did not expect that many people to be there, but im glad! always a better atmosphere when there's a lot of people.

yeah this is going to be an interesting boxscore, the place was packed and it really did look like a full house. I read on the Dallas Morning News they said something about 70k people but surely they were wrong about that. The nosebleed section even looked full from what i could tell. Dallas loves a spectacle...

 

[Maoilbheannacht]

yeah this is going to be an interesting boxscore, the place was packed and it really did look like a full house. I read on the Dallas Morning News they said something about 70k people but surely they were wrong about that. The nosebleed section even looked full from what i could tell. Dallas loves a spectacle...

Some people have said that Cowboys Stadium has 80,000 seats while others have said it is as low as 75,000. Were of course not counting the tens of thousands of people that watch the game from the lobbies on the TV's with their "party passes". I agree it will be interesting to see. If they can get above 78,000, they may set the concert attendance record for the state of Texas!

 

[Mrs. Garrison]

Some people have said that Cowboys Stadium has 80,000 seats while others have said it is as low as 75,000. Were of course not counting the tens of thousands of people that watch the game from the lobbies on the TV's with their "party passes". I agree it will be interesting to see. If they can get above 78,000, they may set the concert attendance record for the state of Texas!

i would almost put money on over 80k....but i guess we will see when they release the boxscores.

 

[digitize]

U2 seem to have a particular knack for generating paper sellout shows this tour.

Good to see those numbers, though.

 

[Maoilbheannacht]

U2 seem to have a particular knack for generating paper sellout shows this tour.

Good to see those numbers, though.

"paper sellout shows"? The process on this tour is no different than it was on POP, ZOO TV, or War, or even the last tour, Vertigo. The term "sellout" stands for the selling of all tickets released for purchase, NOT necessarily every possible physical seat in the venue.