A Stadium Headliner Emerges: Eric Church In Good Company With Nissan Stadium Gig

Anthony D – Eric Church
Eric Church performs at Allstate Arena in Chicago

With Eric Church on a tear right now, grossing between $2 million to $3 million per two-night arena stand across the country on his Double Down Tour, he’s also doing something apparently unprecedented – headlining Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn. While plenty of major artists have headlined the 60,000-capacity football stadium, Church is the first to do so with no support act, co-headliner or anyone else other than his band.

Church is making his stadium-headlining debut May 25 at Music City’s home of the Tennessee Titans, where he will keep with the previous dates on his Double Down Tour by performing three hours of music from his six-album catalog.

The venue has played host to some major star power in recent years, which will make it interesting to see how his “church choir” legion of fans measures up in ticket sales.

The biggest show in Pollstar’s records is Taylor Swift’s Aug. 25, 2018, show, which moved 56,112 tickets and grossed just over $9 million, closely followed by The Rolling Stones (Brad Paisley opening) in 2015 with an $8.4 million gross reported by promoter Concerts West on 47,424 tickets. Other big shows at Nissan include Kenny Chesney in 2018 ($5.47 million, 55,182 tickets), Ed Sheeran in 2018 (just under $4 million, 45,888), Beyoncé in 2016 ($5.2 million, 43,013), Guns N’ Roses also in 2016 ($4.3 million, 41,580), and One Direction in 2014 ($4.28 million, 53,472). Chesney sold another 50,422 tickets there back in 2008, which grossed $3.25 million. Representatives for Church say the max capacity for the May 25 show is 55,307.

Of course, there are a few similarities with some of the artists to already have played Nissan, with Sheeran, Swift, Chesney and Church all being Messina Touring Group tours, the AEG Presents partner led by Louis Messina who was just honored as one of Pollstar’s most impactful executives of the touring business. Another on the list is Goldenvoice talent buyer Stacy Vee, who is now officially working with Messina Touring Group, which just wrapped the monster Swift and Sheeran tours of 2018 and now is touring Church, Shawn Mendes, Kelly Clarkson and occasional George Strait shows.

Church’s most recent Double Down touring numbers include twin shows at arenas including Pepsi Center in Denver May 10-11 ($2.4 million grossed), PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh ($2.74 million), Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, S.C., ($2.6 million) and Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland, April 19-20, which sold out at just under 30,000 tickets and grossed $2.33 million.

He remains at No. 4 on Pollstar’s Live 75 chart, with 14,319 tickets sold on average over six recent shows.

Church is represented by WME Nashville partner and co-head Jay Williams, another Pollstar Impact 50 honoree.