Usher takes the Super Bowl Stage to kick off what could be his biggest tour yet

Future pop stars watch out: Usher's strategy of capitalizing on massive Super Bowl audiences in sold-out headlining concerts is a master class in how to parlay a career milestone into a legacy-enhancing tour.

The R&B icon was able to capitalize on the pre-game buzz surrounding his performance at the Apple Music Super Bowl LVIII Halftime show with a carefully coordinated pre-sales campaign for his fall Past Present Future tour. Once die-hard fans snapped up their tickets (most went on sale on February 9), Usher's team began expanding dates based on demand to make sure there would still be plenty of tickets available for the general public on Monday (February 12). after the game.

So far, 360,000 pre-sale tickets have been sold for the Past Present Future tour, according to the president of Live Nation Global Touring. Arthur Fogeland dates have increased from 24 to 44 across the US since the initial presale that began Thursday (February 8). Advertising sign estimates that when the remaining tickets go on sale the Monday after the Super Bowl, the Past Present Future tour will be Usher's highest-grossing tour ever.

“The success of the tour began several years ago when Usher launched his Vegas residency, which he restored to its former glory,” says Fogel. “He is now building on that success with his current tour and pre-sales prove there is unprecedented demand to see him perform live.”

Since Usher was announced to headline the Apple Music Super Bowl LVIII Halftime Show, his tour team — manager Ron Lafitteagent and partner of WME John Marx and Live Nation supporters Colin Lewis and Fogel — have created an arena tour strategy that takes full advantage of the big game's massive audience. Last year's Kansas City Chiefs victory over the Philadelphia Eagles in Glendale, Ariz., was watched by more than 115 million viewers in the U.S., making it not only the most-watched Super Bowl in history, but also its most-watched telecast of all time. times in America.

Despite huge viewing figures, the last five Super Bowl halftime acts have not announced headlining tours since their performances. And those who did, like Justin Timberlake in 2018 and Beyonce in 2017, didn't have tickets on sale so soon after the event.

However, Usher wasn't about to let the momentum go to waste. Days after his Super Bowl halftime show closed, Marx began planning an arena tour. His mandate from Usher was to try to replicate the intimacy of his Las Vegas concerts, first in 2021 at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace and then at the 2022-2023 My Way Las Vegas set at Dolby Live at Park MGM.

“He wanted to play more multiple nights in bigger cities,” Marx said Advertising signnoting that Usher enjoyed the excitement they generated over many nights.

In total, Usher is playing 44 shows in 17 markets (locations for three of the dates have yet to be announced). The Past Present Future tour will officially kick off in Washington, DC (August 20) and includes a four-night stop at Brooklyn's Barclay Center (September 6-10), four nights at the yet-to-be-opened Inuit Dome in Inglewood, California (17 -September 24), three nights in Miami at the Kaseya Center (October 11-14), three nights at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta (October 17-20) and three nights at the United Center in Chicago (October 28-31).

“Sales are beyond anyone's wildest dreams right now,” says Marx, noting that even more US dates could be added and that a UK and European tour will be announced in the future. “Honestly, we're just getting started,” he adds. “Everything I've seen and heard has made it clear to me that people everywhere really want to be at these shows.”