Wasn't Salt Lake City a slightly soft sales wise?
I don't recall them having any noticable problems with filling up in Salt Lake.
Weren't the 2010 capacities less than 2009 capacities on average?
Yes. So?
McG could have booked "demand permitting" dates/cities for the 2010 tour but very few were used. If a stadium wanted a show it was no problem to free up the stadium for a week with 9-12+ months advance notice.
A lot of the largest markets were hit on the first leg, some multiple times, so demand will naturally be less than on the first leg overall.
Booking stadiums for events like this is not looking booking a birthday party at your local Chucky Cheese. Arthur Fogal would tell you that there are always problems to face when booking a tour of this size. This is the most expensive tour ever in history. There are lots of things that have to be worked out on both ends.
U2/LN also used first/last dates of the stateside tour to their advantage to sell extra ticket. EIGHT different cities had either distinction for the 2010/2011 dates
I don't see how this is relevant.
Rolling Stones weren't "restricted" by heavily discounted nosebleed and GA tickets, upwards of 2 million of them for 360.
1. The Rolling Stones were not playing in 360 in the worst recession since the 1930s. Think about it.
2. Its more challenging to fill stadiums in 360 110 times on a single tour than having the luxury of playing any venue in any configeration that suits the drawing power of the band. The Stones could play stadiums in 270, arena's in 360, arena's in 270, music halls, theaters etc.
Its easier to book more shows and meet the true demand to see the artist when your allowed to book any venue instead of being restricted to playing stadiums in 360.
3. Lets take a look at the averages.
U2 360 TOUR: TOTAL STATS TO DATE
GROSS: $519,599,484
ATTENDANCE: 5,051,275
Average Gross: $6,661,532
Average Attendance: 64,760
Average Ticket Price: $102.87
Shows: 78
Sellouts: 78
ROLLING STONES A BIGGER BANG TOUR STATS
GROSS: $558,255,524
ATTENDANCE: 4,680,000
Average Gross: $3,797,657
Average Attendance: 31,837
Average Ticket Price: $119.29
Shows: 147
Sellouts: 81
The fact is, there is very little difference in average ticket prices for the two tours. Although U2 have a smaller average ticket price, they have a much higher average gross per show, and their average attendance per show is more than double that of the Rolling Stones.
I think they could have done a "360 tour" anytime between 89-99
Well if they could, why didn't they?
Also, are you claiming that demand to see the Rolling Stones is less now than it was in the 1990s?
U2 is somewhere between SteelWheels/Voodoo in their career arc.
How do you figure that?
Otherwise it's to hard to compare the drawing power 50 year olds with 70 year olds.
LOL LOL LOL
Are you saying that the Stones need a Senior benefit of some sort? Can 60 year olds be compared to 70 year olds? How about 30 years olds to 50 year olds? Or 20 year olds to 50 year olds? Since when is this a factor in judging what is most popular, most in demand etc.?
Again, are you claiming that there was greater demand to see the Stones in concert in the 1990s than today?
Don't forget to look at the average ticket price for the shows.
By the way, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards are not in their 70s. As of today, both are 67. Bono will be 51 in 40 days.