BOK Center is still world class
BY JENNIFER CHANCELLOR World Scene Writer
Tuesday, January 08, 2013
1/08/13 at 7:00 AM
If global rankings are any indicator, Oklahoma music venues are loud and proud and see no hint of waning revenues experienced in other parts of the globe. More venues than ever made the annual roundup of top-selling venues in 2012, including a new entry by none other than the BOK Center parking lot. No joke. The year was bright, and it included Tulsa's BOK Center, Cain's Ballroom and Brady Theater, as well as Oklahoma City venues the Diamond Ballroom, Chesapeake Arena and Zoo Amphitheater.
The BOK Center ranked No. 45 worldwide in arena ticket sales, with 300,350 concert tickets sold in 2012. The venue ranked No. 17 nationally.
All rankings are determined by Pollstar Pro by tickets sold worldwide for concerts from Jan. 1, 2012, to Dec. 31, 2012.
"Last year was another incredibly successful year for the BOK Center," John Bolton, BOK Center general manager, said in a press statement. "To continue to be ranked among the nation's top venues recognizes the support of Tulsa ticket-buyers, the dedicated SMG staff and promoters who continue to bring the hottest tours to the BOK Center."
The BOK Center hosted 21 of the top 100 tours in 2012, including Roger Waters: "The Wall," Cirque du Soleil: Michael Jackson, Carrie Underwood, Eric Church, Lady Antebellum, Brad Paisley, The Black Keys, Journey and Van Halen.
The O2 Arena in London grabbed the No. 1 arena spot globally, with 1,577,180 tickets sold in 2012.
The BOK Center parking lot, including the ONEOK Stage, took No. 33 globally in outdoor festival/stadium sites, with an estimated 172,765 patrons last year. It is the stage's first time in the rankings. Events there include Winterfest and the Rock N Rib Festival. First place was Fore Sol in Mexico City, with 647,516 visitors.
Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City won No. 71 worldwide, with 193,071 tickets sold.
Also in Oklahoma City, the Zoo Amphitheater ranked No. 77 worldwide in amphitheater ticket sales, with 36,903 sold. Red Rocks Amphitheater in Morrison, Colo., took the top amphitheater slot with 503,887 sold.
Again in the yearly rankings was Oklahoma landmark concert venue Cain's Ballroom, which ranked No. 25 worldwide in club venue sales, with 96,783 tickets sold in 2012.
Oklahoma City's Diamond Ballroom also made the club sales list at No. 73, with 45,009 tickets sold.
No. 1 in club sales was Terminal 5 in NYC, with 280,717 tickets sold last year.
Also making the roundup this year was another historic Tulsa venue, Brady Theater. It eked in at No. 100 in global theater sales, with 58,276 tickets sold in 2012. Radio City Music Hall in New York City took No. 1 in that category with 1,518,120 sold.
Touring by the numbers
Overall, tour numbers have improved nationally and globally. Pollstar estimated that the size of the North American concert business hit a record $4.7 billion in 2012, up almost 8 percent over last year. Most of that growth came from bands touring at "modest levels below the superstar strata." That apparently equals a boon for modest-size Oklahoma venues, too, as more made the annual list than ever before.
Now for the "superstar strata" tours and the top-earning tours of 2012, according to Pollstar Pro:
WORLDWIDE TOURS, GROSS EARNINGS
1. Madonna, $296.1 million
2. Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, $210.2 million
3. Roger Waters: The Wall, $186.4 million
4. Coldplay, $171.3 million
5. Lady Gaga, $161.4 million
47. Carrie Underwood, $29.2 million *
48. Rascal Flatts, $29.1 million *
71. Toby Keith, $23.1 million *
73. Miranda Lambert, $22.2 million *
* Acts with Oklahoma ties
WORLDWIDE TOURS, TICKET SALES
1. Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, 2,286,395
2. Madonna, 2,207,361
3. Coldplay, 1,969,292
4. Roger Waters: The Wall, 1,679,856
5. Lady Gaga, 1,581,423
19. Rascal Flatts, 630,891 *
25. Toby Keith, 558,547 *
28. Miranda Lambert, 536,605 *
41. Carrie Underwood, 450,350 *
80. Blake Shelton, 224,249 *
* Acts with Oklahoma ties
Source: Pollstar Pro
Jennifer Chancellor 918-581-8346
jennifer.chancellor@tulsaworld.com
Associated Images:
Miranda Lambert points out her "Mrs. Shelton" belt to the crowd as she performs at the BOK Center, which was ranked as the No. 17 top-selling U.S. arena venue in 2012. MICHAEL WYKE / Tulsa World file
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