How To Book A Stadium Tour | Full Costs Disclosed

Summary

The video explores the financial intricacies of large-scale stadium tours, detailing the factors behind rising ticket prices and the substantial costs involved. From artist fees to venue rentals, crew staffing, transportation, and extravagant production requirements, it reveals how millions of dollars are spent daily to stage these events. While touring can be incredibly lucrative for artists, the logistics and risks involved mean only the most successful acts, like Taylor Swift or Metallica, can command high returns. The video also touches on private performances for the ultra-wealthy, highlighting the extensive costs and high fees involved.

Takeaways

• 😀 Ticket prices for major artists have significantly risen over time, from $5.50 in 1969 to around $370 today due to increased production costs and expectations.
• 😀 The high cost of touring today includes massive expenses for staging, crew, equipment, and various logistics, making it a complex financial venture.
• 😀 Stadium-level tours require significant resources, including large crews, transportation (e.g., tour buses and trucks), and specialized personnel like tour managers and sound engineers.
• 😀 A world stadium tour can easily cost over a million dollars per day due to expenses for travel, accommodation, catering, and venue costs.
• 😀 Artists like Taylor Swift, The Weeknd, and Justin Bieber can command fees of $1-2 million per concert, but this doesn’t cover all the overheads involved in touring.
• 😀 Booking venues like Wembley or MetLife Stadium is far more expensive than smaller venues, with high-end stadiums costing up to $1.5 million or more.
• 😀 Large concerts can require hundreds or even thousands of people to manage and execute all the aspects of the show, from stage construction to security.
• 😀 Major artists' tours often involve a large fleet of trucks to transport equipment; for example, U2’s 360 tour used 32 18-wheel trucks.
• 😀 A tour bus can cost around $2,000 per day to operate, with additional costs for mileage, clean-up fees, and crew transport.
• 😀 High-profile artists performing for private events (e.g., billionaires’ birthday parties) can charge much more than regular concerts due to the extra risks and expenses involved.
• 😀 Despite the high costs, artists can still make substantial earnings from touring, as seen with Justin Bieber’s $200 million gross on the Purpose Tour, with a significant profit margin.

Q & A

Why have ticket prices for concerts increased significantly over time?

Ticket prices have increased due to the higher production values required for modern tours. This includes advanced stages, screens, lighting, sound systems, and special effects like t-shirt cannons and explosions. Additionally, artists and promoters have to account for rising logistical and staffing costs.

What was the ticket price range for Rolling Stones concerts in 1969, and how does that compare to today's prices?

In 1969, Rolling Stones concert tickets cost between $5.50 and $8.50, which is roughly $40-$60 in today's money. In contrast, tickets for major concerts today can average $370 each.

What factors determine the costs and profits of a stadium-level concert tour?

The costs and profits of a stadium-level concert tour depend on factors such as the venue size, location, the artist's popularity, the level of production involved, staffing, and logistical requirements like transportation and accommodation.

How much can it cost to book a major stadium for a concert?

The cost of booking a major stadium for a concert can vary significantly. Smaller stadiums might cost around $250,000, while high-end stadiums like Wembley or MetLife Stadium can cost $1.5 million or more.

How large is the crew required for a stadium-level concert?

A stadium concert typically requires around 400 crew members, but for larger-scale tours like U2's 360 Tour, the number can easily exceed 1,000 people, including tour managers, stage crew, lighting engineers, security, and other essential staff.

What are the transportation and accommodation costs for a major tour?

Transportation costs can include tour buses, which cost about $2,000 per day, plus additional expenses like flights for the crew. Accommodation for the team is also a significant cost, with high-end hotels required for major artists, adding further to the expenses.

How much can a stadium tour cost an artist per day?

A stadium tour can cost an artist up to $1 million per day, even on non-performance days. This includes costs for crew salaries, travel, accommodation, catering, and other logistical expenses.

What role does Live Nation play in managing stadium-level tours?

Live Nation, or similar companies, manage the financial risks and logistics of large-scale tours. They oversee the planning, production, and staffing, ensuring that everything runs smoothly, and take a substantial share of the profits in exchange for taking on the risks.

How much can an artist earn from a major stadium tour?

An artist can earn millions from a stadium tour. For example, Justin Bieber earned $200 million from his Purpose Tour, with an estimated $50 million profit after expenses, depending on the scale and success of the tour.

What happens when a billionaire hires an artist for a private event?

When a billionaire hires an artist for a private event, the costs are significantly higher than regular concert fees. Artists charge three to four times their normal performance fee for private events, as they incur additional expenses for flights, staging, lighting, and top-tier catering.