Beyoncé rarely, if ever, comes in second to anyone. Taylor Swift rarely, if ever, comes in second to anyone. Something has to give this summer. Swift launched her The Eras Tour in March, and the North American leg will stretch until August 9. Beyoncé is beginning her Renaissance World Tour overseas this week before hitting North America from July through September.
According to Forbes, Beyoncé is poised to earn more than Swift in tour gross:
“Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter — also known as Queen Bey — could clear nearly $2.2 billion from her Renaissance World Tour — some $600 million more than the $1.6 billion Taylor Swift could earn from Eras. Those eyepopping estimates are based on the most optimistic assumptions of the number of fans buying tickets at their concerts and high average ticket prices of about $700.
They also assume the artists take home a considerable share of merchandise proceeds and pay tour expenses of 20% of revenues — leaving them with the other 80%. Renaissance could gross between $275 million and $2.57 billion from tickets alone by the time it ends in September. Beyoncé’s most optimistic ticket revenue estimate — $2.57 billion — is well above Eras‘ $1.9 billion most optimistic box office.”
There were also parallels drawn between the two tours upon Beyoncé’s Renaissance World Tour announcement at the start of February.
After Ticketmaster epically botched the presale for Swift’s The Eras Tour last fall — underestimating fan demand by millions and canceling the general sale — the Beyhive was stressed to hear Ticketmaster was also handling Renaissance World Tour ticket sales. The Senate Judiciary Committee even put Ticketmaster on notice.
In terms of Forbes‘ projections, initial demand for Renaissance World Tour tickets would indicate that Beyoncé is in for a record payday. Some fans were relegated to the waitlist during Ticketmaster’s pre-sale raffle, and Megan Thee Stallion had to put in a direct request.
