U2 at the Sphere: The Numbers

U2 wrapped up a hugely successful residency at the Sphere in Las Vegas earlier this month. The residency combined an incredible rock band, a vast catalog of hit songs, a brand new, state-of-the-art venue, and incredible technology. The result was an entirely new way to experience a live concert!

Now that it’s sadly over, we thought we’d look at the residency by the numbers!

18

The show took 18 months to prepare for. That includes everything from the dazzling visual display to the stage design to the setlist. The residency’s general theme centered around climate change, consumerism, and humanity’s relationship with the natural world.

40

That’s how many concerts U2 performed at the Sphere. The residency kicked off September 29,2023, and ended March 2, 2024.

661,456

That’s how many tickets were sold during U2’s run at the Sphere. Just about every show was a sellout. Some tickets were going for three times their face value on the resale market.

1.8 million

The Hollywood Reporter had said the 17 shows U2 performed through November 30 generated $30.7 million in revenue. That’s about $1.8 million per show!

256 million

And when you add it all up, U2’s residency was expected to generate $256 million in revenue!

170 million

That’s the amount of money U2 could have been paid for the residency. The head of MSG is said to have paid the band $10 million. Live Nation then paid them $4 million per show. That adds up to $170 million! The band also had to pay their staff and others… so it’s an estimated, roundabout number at best.

2.3 billion

That’s how much the Sphere cost to build! Construction started in 2018 and U2 was the first act booked to perform. Phish is up next, and The Eagles are reportedly in talks as well!