markm Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 MADONNA SALE$ SAG LIVE NATION DEFENDS LIMP RESPONSE TO HER US TOUR By BRIAN GARRITY June 24, 2008 -- Live Nation is on the defensive about the health of its $120 million Madonna deal. Big sales around the world for the Material Girl's upcoming "Sticky & Sweet" tour have been overshadowed in music industry circles by chatter about the large number of tickets still available for a key stop in Los Angeles in November and softer-than-expected sales of her latest album "Hard Candy." The tour so far has grossed more than $74 million in sales for 13 dates in Europe and piled up a string of sellouts at arenas across North America, according to Live Nation. Arthur Fogel, chairman of global music and CEO of the global touring division at Live Nation, projects the tour will gross more than $250 million in ticket sales - surpassing her record-breaking "Confessions on a Dance Floor" tour two years ago, which pulled in $195 million worldwide. But just over half of the 43,000 seats available for a Nov. 6 date at Los Angeles' Dodger Stadium - 27,000 tickets in all - have been sold in their first three weeks of availability, raising red flags about the limits of US demand for the 49-year-old Madonna at this stage of her career. It also comes as Live Nation's management has been at odds over the strategy of handing out big-bucks, all-encompassing contracts, known as 360 deals, for aging stars like Madonna and Jay-Z. The rift led to last week's exit of company chairman Michael Cohl. To be sure, Madonna's sales have been better at other venues. A Nov. 4 show at San Diego's Petco Park has sold 29,000 of 35,000 seats. And over 33,000 out of 42,000 available tickets were sold for a Nov. 26 stadium date in Miami. And her US arena dates, including three nights at Madison Square Garden, have sold out. But at the biggest venues, consumers in the US are not rushing for Madonna tickets with the same fervor that they are in Europe and other parts of the world. An Aug. 30 show at the Military Airfield Deubendorf in Zurich, Switzerland, sold over 70,000 tickets in days in May, and an October date in Vancouver, BC, sold 50,000 tickets in 29 minutes. The economy could be a factor - top tickets for Madonna are running as high as $500 at a time when food and gas costs are soaring. Her latest album is doing solid but unspectacular business in the US. "Hard Candy" has sold 544,000 copies domestically, according to Nielsen SoundScan. That's barely half of what rapper Lil Wayne recently sold in the first week for his latest album "Tha Carter III." Analysts note that the album could be hard pressed to match the business of her last album "Confessions on a Dance Floor," which sold more than 1.6 million copies in the US. Fogel, who has produced Madonna's last three tours, said concern about ticket demand is overblown. He noted that there are close to five months to go before the US stadium shows in question open, and each one has already grossed $3 million to $4 million in sales. Live Nation stock closed down 3.92 percent, or 46 cents, at $11.27. nypost.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Queen Bitch Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 The economy, her prices, and the fact that she's touring too often are all factors. I won't bother going if she tours in two years time, and I *never* would have thought I'd say that about Madonna. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nightshade Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 I think this article is a little selective in its choice of data. I notice they are only mentioning the stadium dates in the U.S. which we all expected to sell slower than the in-door arenas. And what about Houston? That one must be doing fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkyHigh76 Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 I think this article is a little selective in its choice of data. I notice they are only mentioning the stadium dates in the U.S. which we all expected to sell slower than the in-door arenas. And what about Houston? That one must be doing fine. Yeah,this article is very misleading.There are still several months before the US tour begins.Any shows that aren't completely soldout right now will surely sell many more tickets before now and then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markm Posted June 24, 2008 Author Share Posted June 24, 2008 The economy, her prices, and the fact that she's touring too often are all factors. I won't bother going if she tours in two years time, and I *never* would have thought I'd say that about Madonna. Her prices are ridiculous. If I had not got a GC ticket for Wembley I wouldn't have bothered. Seriously her team are way out of touch with whats happening in the real world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nightshade Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 Seriously her team are way out of touch with whats happening in the real world. Don't laugh but I don't think that is it. After signing her to a $120 million deal, Live Nation is going to be aggressive about getting their money and larger venues is probably the easiest way to do it. Hell, they should've just forced her to spend a month in Australia on tour - she could play 20 stadiums and probably sell out every single one in 20 minutes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkyHigh76 Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 Her tour will be a huge success but I'm not sure if it's a good idea for her to do stadiums in the US.That's a risky move.Maybe she should have just played it safe and stuck to arenas,at least in the States. I also think it's a mistake to skip Detroit again.She could have easily soldout two nights there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moe Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 Well a big mistake was doing a stadium in Los Angeles! Big Mistake. Its very hard to sell out Doger sadium!!! She was setting herself up and didt even know it by doing this venue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkyHigh76 Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 Well a big mistake was doing a stadium in Los Angeles! Big Mistake. Its very hard to sell out Doger sadium!!! She was setting herself up and didt even know it by doing this venue. Yeah,I agree.She should have just scheduled a few nights at Staple Center,where she would have soldout with no problems.Very few pop artists can sell out stadiums in the US. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest SuperPop Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 I think the main problem of this tour was the outrageous mispricing in the stadiums....its ridiculous to charge much less for the standing tickets (which in this tour have the best view from all other tickets) and much more for seating tickets on the back of the stadium (where you can only see Madonna in the video walls) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FreeMySoul Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 every time she tours we get articles like these Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtzlplk Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 well, I am sure not everyone is excited about going into STADIUMS... especially AMERICANS... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dindi Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 I think LiveNation and Madonna has gotten too greedy. Perhaps this is a nice little reality check that not everyone wants to fork out a lot of money for shitty seats in a stadium, even if you're Madonna. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtzlplk Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 I am sure they've learned their lesson... expect no more stadium dates in the US by next tour 2011... still, the gross sales of these tickets are to die for (for other artists)... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest valhum Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 I do not think the article is unfair. They point out just how bad the selling for just ONE stadium is doing bad (Dodger's) but then they point out sold out dates in many other markets and very strong sales for other 2 stadium dates (San Diego and Miami). But i do think that the reason the Dodger's is not selling that well is because of how expensive the tickets are for really shitty seats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dindi Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 I think it's interesting to note that prices for Vancouver (one of the stadium dates that sold out quickly) were actually quite reasonable, with floor seats going for $165 face value. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notsomuch Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 That is one date that is having trouble. Everything is fine, relax. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebigham Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 It's the NY Post. Hello!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notsomuch Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 All throughout her career press have tried to discredit her every chance they can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest northernlad Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 I can't believe they'd let those exact figures get out like that. every time she tours we get articles like these huh? the only thing that ever got said about CT was how big it was going to be. The Daily Mail have made up a couple of imaginary articles here and there but never with actual reporting. As for the article, the title's overblown but what content there is is fair, but it's entirely unnecessary seeing as it's only based on 3 of 50 shows. Well a big mistake was doing a stadium in Los Angeles! Big Mistake. Its very hard to sell out Doger sadium!!! She was setting herself up and didt even know it by doing this venue. It's not that difficult for an artist of her caliber to sell out Dodgers Stadium - the pricing is the issue. They probably have 85% of the seats going for $100+ - even The Stones charged cheaper, with more price levels when they played it last year (they also had slow sales, but ended up moving 48,000 tickets). It also doesn't help that San Diego is practically the same city. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nahedum Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 All throughout her career press have tried to discredit her every chance they can. I agree. They don't talk about her sold out at Paris and Lisbon that each place she sold more than 75000 tickets. And the latest news is at Mexico she sold more than 80000 thickets in only 2 hours this is the record. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest valhum Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 I agree. They don't talk about her sold out at Paris and Lisbon that each place she sold more than 75000 tickets. And the latest news is at Mexico she sold more than 80000 thickets in only 2 hours this is the record. But the thing is, that she has not set foot in Mexico City since the GS show way back in 1993 (only time and in the same venue btw ) and she has been doing dates in the U.S. practically every 2 yrs now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Pud Whacker Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 ok and? and - YOUR HOLE STINKS!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notsomuch Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 When the tour rakes in over $200,000,000 then we'll see how much weight articles like this carry. Some press just can't stand the fact that she is still going strong at the age of 50. They want to see her fail even though she continues to prove them wrong. So doger stadium is the only venue that is selling slow. What about huge stadiums all across Europe and North American that are sold out or close to selling out? Canada venues all sold out? There is always one reporter talking out their ass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest valhum Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 Guys, c'mon, they do mention the other sold out stadiums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GimmeSomeMo Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 All throughout her career press have tried to discredit her every chance they can. POOR BRAVE PERSECUTED MADONNA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hyper Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 POOR BRAVE PERSECUTED MADONNA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Probed By Greys Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 I hope Dodger stadium doesn't sell out because if it does they are always going to have stadium shows in the US. Its an easy way to make a lot of money in one night. Madonna works less, they save the cost of doing several shows, only the fans lose. If all those stadiums sellout in the US, next time she's going to do even more stadium shows Look at Europe, whenever she can get away with it, she does a stadium show. If they feel she can in the US also, she will. Dodger stadium is a litmus test. They know its going to be hard to sell that out, but if she does, they know she can sellout most stadiums in the US. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ciccone's Cheeks Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 im a very firm believer that all the factors mentioned above (shitty economy, high ticket prices, touring again waaay too soon, same cities/places etc..), are all legit reasons, *yet* we all know the press, haters/Lambs will all solely focus on and get satisfaction over the fact shes not technically "selling out", regardless of all the solid reasons already mentioned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Littlebastard Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 yeah and at the end of this tour the NY post write an article claiming it was a huge success and topping her last tour..please next Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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