(07-24-2006) Rolling Stones Lead Mid-Year Tour Figures -- Billboard*

[dsmith2904]

Rolling Stones Lead Mid-Year Tour Figures

Ray Waddell, Nashville

Touring is a global business and the Rolling Stones are, predictably, the top touring band in the world for the first half of 2006. Based on figures reported to Billboard Boxscore from Nov. 1, 2005, through mid-May, the Stones' Bigger Bang tour, produced by Michael Cohl, reported $147.3 million in grosses from 45 shows in U.S. arenas and international stadiums.

While it's doubtful U2 would have passed its elder brethren, the band, which is at second for the mid-year, would have improved its already hefty take of $73 million for the period had it not postponed dates because of a family illness. As reported today, those shows have been rescheduled for later this year.

Bon Jovi is the third-highest-grossing act for the period, reporting more than $65 million and 866,873 in attendance, selling out 54 of 57 shows. Rounding out the top 10 are Billy Joel ($47.4 million), Cirque du Soleil's Delirium ($38.7 million), Aerosmith ($35 million), Coldplay ($29 million), Luis Miguel ($25 million), Trans Siberian Orchestra ($24 million), and Paul McCartney ($17.6 million).

In general, the touring industry is maintaining a healthy pace. Gross dollars for January-June 2006 are up 24.6% from the same period last year, driven mostly by the tours cited above. High ticket prices help boost the increase, however, because attendance is up just 5.4%.

--Billboard

 

[STING2]

Rolling Stones Lead Mid-Year Tour Figures

Ray Waddell, Nashville



While it's doubtful U2 would have passed its elder brethren, the band, which is at second for the mid-year, would have improved its already hefty take of $73 million for the period had it not postponed dates

Hey Ray,

Perhaps you and Billboard should mention the fact that as of July 2006, the Vertigo Tour tops the Rolling Stones "A Bigger Bang Tour" in stats:


VERTIGO TOUR
GROSS: $333,206,884
ATTENDANCE: 3,983,650
SHOWS: 118



A BIGGER BANG TOUR
GROSS: $256,038,439
ATTENDANCE: 1,995,071
SHOWS: 72


Its rather convenient to only mention figures since November 1, 2005 which contains most of the Stones shows, but only a small portion of the shows U2 has played so far. Why not simply list total shows and stats for both tours side by side. Thats a far better comparison.

The Stones are just hitting Europe now, but many of their shows in Europe did not fully sellout while all of U2's shows last summer through out Europe soldout within hours of going on sale.

U2 have 12 more shows to play and their final GROSS figure will come in at around $380 million to $390 million. The Stones will be at $360 million in GROSS once they finish their schedualed European dates. They will then return to North America for more shows and will play as many as need be in order to insure they top U2's final GROSS figure for the Vertigo tour which will only be doing 12 or 13 more shows.

These days, the Stones are only clearly ahead of U2 in Japan, Germany and perhaps the United States, while U2 typically will do better concert business than the Stones anywhere else.

 

[dsmith2904]

Re: Re: (07-24-2006) Rolling Stones Lead Mid-Year Tour Figures -- Billboard*

Hey Ray,

Perhaps you and Billboard should mention the fact that as of July 2006, the Vertigo Tour tops the Rolling Stones "A Bigger Bang Tour" in stats:


VERTIGO TOUR
GROSS: $333,206,884
ATTENDANCE: 3,983,650
SHOWS: 118



A BIGGER BANG TOUR
GROSS: $256,038,439
ATTENDANCE: 1,995,071
SHOWS: 72


Its rather convenient to only mention figures since November 1, 2005 which contains most of the Stones shows, but only a small portion of the shows U2 has played so far. Why not simply list total shows and stats for both tours side by side. Thats a far better comparison.

The Stones are just hitting Europe now, but many of their shows in Europe did not fully sellout while all of U2's shows last summer through out Europe soldout within hours of going on sale.

U2 have 12 more shows to play and their final GROSS figure will come in at around $380 million to $390 million. The Stones will be at $360 million in GROSS once they finish their schedualed European dates. They will then return to North America for more shows and will play as many as need be in order to insure they top U2's final GROSS figure for the Vertigo tour which will only be doing 12 or 13 more shows.

These days, the Stones are only clearly ahead of U2 in Japan, Germany and perhaps the United States, while U2 typically will do better concert business than the Stones anywhere else.

This article was only about tour grosses for the first six months of this year when the Stones did play, and will play, more shows than U2 so will take in more money. Overall, perhaps Vertigo will be the highest-grossing tour (of all time, of 2006, whatever), but for the first six months of this year, the Stones made the most.

 

[STING2]

Re: Re: Re: (07-24-2006) Rolling Stones Lead Mid-Year Tour Figures -- Billboard*

This article was only about tour grosses for the first six months of this year when the Stones did play, and will play, more shows than U2 so will take in more money. Overall, perhaps Vertigo will be the highest-grossing tour (of all time, of 2006, whatever), but for the first six months of this year, the Stones made the most.

I clearly mentioned that in my response above and was also responding to misleading statements in the article like:

"While it's doubtful U2 would have passed its elder brethren".

Its actually not the first six months of this year that their counting, but the six months since November 1, 2005. Its funny, but with the system their using, U2's new dates for Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii and Japan will not be including in their year end list for 2006 because all of those shows will occur after November 1, 2006 which will be the cut off for their 2006 list.

Those 12 dates at the end of this year will show up on the year end 2007 list when in comes out in December 2007. While it will only be 12 shows, the GROSS will likely be $60 million dollars +, although U2 would have been off the road for an entire year by the time that list gets published in Billboards year end issue for 2007.

 

[Nube Gris]

Luis Miguel

 

[Harry Vest]

BON JOVI????????????????????????????????????????????????
You've got to be kidding!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[DaveC]

U2's average face ticket price: $100
The Rolling Stones' average face ticket price: $176.58

$76.58 - there's your difference.

 

[ponkine]

JUMPING JACK FLASH

 

[STING2]

U2's average face ticket price: $100
The Rolling Stones' average face ticket price: $176.58

$76.58 - there's your difference.

Here are the latest figures for both tours:


VERTIGO TOUR
GROSS: $333,206,884
ATTENDANCE: 3,983,650
SHOWS: 118



A BIGGER BANG TOUR
GROSS: $256,038,439
ATTENDANCE: 1,995,071
SHOWS: 72


Average Ticket price for U2 VERTIGO: $83.64
Average Ticket price for Rolling Stones A BIGGER BANG TOUR: $128.33

So, the average difference in price of tickets is only $44.69 . In addition, a large number of Rolling Stones shows failed to sellout, while nearly every single U2 show sold within hours! This shows U2 could have easily added more shows or in fact charged a higher ticket price.

The Rolling Stones charge nearly $300 dollars or more for all of the floor tickets in arena's. U2, as a gift to its most dedicated fans only charges 49.50. But, U2 could easily have charged $300 dollars a ticket for the GA's as that is what most of scalpers sold them for.

While the Stones are charging 50% more than U2 on average, their also playing to only half as many people and failing to sellout many shows.