Tulsa World: BOK Center a ticket bonanza

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BOK Center a ticket bonanza
It's No. 2 in the U.S. with almost 150,000 sales in three months.

By BRIAN BARBER World Staff Writer
Published: 4/15/2009 2:23 AM
Last Modified: 4/30/2009 2:49 PM

Documents: View a PDF of the Top 50 arenas ranked by firstquarter ticket sales.

The BOK Center is ranked No. 2 in the United States and No. 9 in the world by Pollstar magazine for the number of tickets sold at arenas during the first quarter of 2009.

Between Jan. 1 and March 31, Tulsa's new venue hosted events with 149,302 tickets sold.

BOK Center General Manager John Bolton said the arena's performance shows that "the building is healthy, the city is healthy, and the interest in music and entertainment in Tulsa is very high."

The only American arena above the BOK Center on the Top 50 list generated by the concert industry's trade publication is the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa, Fla., which had 169,492 tickets sold.

The Top 10 is filled out by venues in the United Kingdom, Belgium, Mexico and Australia, with London's O2 Arena ranking No. 1 with 503,846 tickets sold.

Oklahoma City's Ford Center landed at No. 49, with 55,358 tickets sold, while Kansas City's Sprint Center was at No. 14 with 111,358 tickets sold and Dallas' American Airlines Center was at No. 50 with 54,471 tickets sold.

The tickets count in the tally when an event takes place, not when the actual sale occurs.

For the three months, the BOK Center hosted 46 ticketed events, which includes 13 Oilers hockey games. However, the ticket sales

for local sporting events are not factored into Pollstar's ranking process, Bolton said.

Some of the events that helped contribute to Tulsa's total are the eight-performance run of Walking With Dinosaurs with 49,096 tickets sold, the Elton John and Billy Joel concert with 17,335 tickets sold, Celine Dion with 15,933 tickets sold, Brad Paisley with 11,685 tickets sold and the two games of the Harlem Globetrotters with 10,604 tickets sold.

The January AC/DC concert's ticket count is still in flux due to the refunds offered because of that night's ice storm.

The BOK Center's high ranking is due in part to it being a new venue, having opened in September, that's still in a honeymoon period, Bolton said.

But he said he hopes to replicate the success of venues such as Kansas City's Sprint Center, which opened about two years ago and is still going strong.

"I think that's the model to look at — how to maintain what we're doing," Bolton said. "We know we will see some decline. There's no way to sustain the amount of ticket sales that we've had."

The key is to keep up the positive word-of-mouth about the shows and the facility itself to keep patrons coming, he said.

"As long as the market continues to respond and purchase tickets, our honeymoon could go on for a long time," Bolton said.

BOK Center management is countering the faltering economy by booking A-list, recession-proof acts, he said.

Coming up are concerts by Fleetwood Mac, Jonas Brothers, Aerosmith and Dave Matthews Band, among others.

"We're continuing to find acts that we think will have broad appeal and, more importantly, we are looking for a variety," Bolton said.

Brian Barber 581-8322
brian.barber@tulsaworld.com By BRIAN BARBER World Staff Writer

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Some reader comments for this story were copied from "BOK Center ranked second in the U.S. in first-quarter ticket sales," which was published on 4/14/2009.

	Report Comment okcrunner, (4/14/2009 5:01:23 PM) great job Tulsa! Keep it up and you never know what may be in store for Tulsa later on down the road.
	Report Comment GoldenDriller1, Out of State (4/14/2009 5:08:16 PM) Good Show Tulsa - I am pleased to see that our City does indeed support these type of facilities when given the opprotunity. It doesn't hurt that the management has done a very good job with thier bookings.
	Report Comment the original Ace, Tulsa (4/14/2009 5:08:25 PM) I'm so glad this is a success. There are so many people that didn't want this venue built and so many that are "down" on Tulsa and down on downtown. I knew this would be a success. Downtown Tulsa is safe and parking is plentiful! Keep 'em coming!
	Report Comment Dr. Strangelove, Tulsa (4/14/2009 5:12:27 PM) Awesome- KC there are still plenty of folks with cash, believe me
	Report Comment RLG3RD, Broken Arrow (4/14/2009 5:27:15 PM) the question I have, did the BOK pay for itself? I saw no mention of profit or loss, only ticket sales. How about a list of the top entertainment centers that made a profit , or at least paid for itself. I wonder if anyone would make the list?
	Report Comment dTHREE, TULSA (4/14/2009 5:27:32 PM) Considering that it would have been higher if not the Ice Storm we Tulsans have a lot to crow about. Thank You for the great forethought by the framers and voters of VISION2025!
	Report Comment Daven, Tulsa (4/14/2009 5:28:15 PM) Its a great facility and I go every chance I get. Keep getting big names like ZZ Top and Aerosmith and this trend will continue.
	Report Comment RLG3RD, Broken Arrow (4/14/2009 5:32:38 PM) let me add, I live in Wagoner County so I don't care one way or another if the Tulsa county residents want to tax themselves for the arena.I am just curious if any of these centers are standing on their own.
	Report Comment Flyer, (4/14/2009 6:25:50 PM) Every ticket sold, every beverage, every food item and souvenir sold pays a city sales tax. The city would have collected a lot less if it were not for the BOK.
	Report Comment DrewTU, (4/14/2009 6:46:53 PM) One of the best decisions the citizens of Tulsa County have made in years...kudos!
	Report Comment shaw411, Scottsdale, AZ (4/14/2009 7:10:13 PM) Kudos Tulsa!
	Report Comment 2curious, Tulsa, OK 74104 (4/14/2009 7:14:27 PM) Ah...nobody will come to downtown...who wants to walk, who wants to come do downtown Tulsa? APPARENTLY...Everybody! Way to go Mayor Taylor, and everyone who isn't a CAVE person!
	Report Comment Mrs. Grundy, TULSA (4/14/2009 7:17:48 PM) ROUTE66BEAR: thank you. We won't have to worry about Misters Medlock and Bates for awhile. They are licking their wounds right now from some recent battles. But--they'll be hatching up some new scanddal-mongering device before long. It is a shame, because they could channel their knowledge into more positive, helpful avenues and not be so negative and defeatest about Tulsa. They both have potential to do good, but time will tell--
	Report Comment Skeptic, Tulsa (4/14/2009 8:09:43 PM) Great news on a great venue.
	Report Comment ilovetulsa, (4/14/2009 8:12:03 PM) Way to go Tulsa! I love this town.
	Report Comment DonInTulsa, (4/14/2009 8:36:56 PM) Yay BOK Center! This is proving and will prove to be a great investment for Tulsa. I am happy to have such a great arena in my city.
	Report Comment brit01, (4/14/2009 8:45:42 PM) Good job Tulsa, love the BOK keep those concerts coming.
	Report Comment Ayo, T-Town (4/14/2009 8:59:46 PM) Dad gum it! I LOVE being in the top five for something good!! EEEoouuu! Ba Da Bing! or should I say ding, ding, ding, ding, ya got a winner. Si, KC, people like me will have to pick and choose which concerts I attend, but what the hey? I still am able to go to things and have fun, but I'm not shelling out 200 bucks every weekend. As long as there are those who do, I'm good with it. Wow! Two articles on things going great downtown. This made my night.
	Report Comment Ayo, T-Town (4/14/2009 9:21:09 PM) nagnagnag, I don't know if Cains and the Brady would be in that category. We do however, have two jewels in both of them. I think Cains may be one of the longest running venues of it's type, in the nation. I don't think it's ever been closed down other than for remodeling. Dallas has the Granada Theater which is alright, but it can't touch Cains.
	Report Comment RLG3RD, Broken Arrow (4/14/2009 10:44:23 PM) 66 bear, what's the fire department have to do with an arena that provides nothing but entertainment?
	Report Comment seymore1965, Tulsa (4/14/2009 11:30:42 PM) I remember when the comments was full of negativity for the BOK Center before it was completed. Lots of people didn't have anything good to say. Where are they now? These numbers just blow them right out of the water. They can't say anything. Good.
	Report Comment Mich098, Tulsa (4/14/2009 11:49:34 PM) Keyboard Cowboys entire world revolves around taxes. He shoulda been an accountant.
	Report Comment chase, rogers county (4/15/2009 6:33:41 AM) Why could these concert not have happened in the convention center,the bok arena will last a couple of more years until they run out of acts,and it will go by the way of the convention center
	Report Comment Eagle 4, Tulsa (4/15/2009 7:23:50 AM) I dislike incomplete articles. So we're getting sales tax, where's the PROFIT going? Not a word specifying the exact benefits of this Center to the financial good of us taxpayers who bought and paid for it. Everyone can pat themselves on the back but I want to hear about the bottom line and who's getting rich on such success. Does TW have any investigative reporters?
	Report Comment Davy Crotchety, (4/15/2009 7:39:46 AM) nagnag, "How does the Cains and the Brady rate in their category?" Yes, Cain's is a different category and 3Q 2008 it rated 35th worldwide, which is worth celebrating, too.

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