Ariana Grande is kicking off a five-night stay at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center on Monday, July 13, as her Eternal Sunshine Tour makes its New York stop through July 19. The tour marks her first headlining trek since 2019, and fans are proving they’ve been eagerly waiting by spending big on tickets.
According to SeatGeek’s Summer Concert Report, Grande’s tour currently boasts the highest average resale ticket price of any qualifying summer tour listed on the platform, with tickets averaging an eye-popping $953.
That doesn’t mean every ticket comes with a four-figure price tag, though. Before opening night in Brooklyn, the cheapest available seats were selling for around $400, while premium spots were reaching well into the thousands.
Over on Reddit, Ariana Grande fans are debating whether seeing their favorite artist is worth the hefty price tag. One fan, who said they had attended every previous Grande tour, admitted, “I’m not going into debt to see any artist.” Another recalled paying about $200, including taxes, for the Sweetener World Tour in 2019 and said the current ticket prices left them feeling “baffled.”
The soaring resale prices are largely the result of overwhelming demand combined with a limited tour schedule. Grande is performing in only 10 cities during the entire Eternal Sunshine Tour, and every show has already sold out, according to Rolling Stone. As a result, fans who missed the initial ticket sale are now battling for the limited seats available on the resale market.
Adding to the urgency, the “Thank U, Next” hitmaker has hinted that another tour may not happen anytime soon. During an appearance on Amy Poehler’s Good Hang podcast last November, Grande described the current trek as “one last hurrah” and suggested it could be a “long, long, long, long time” before she headlines another tour.
Ariana Grande isn’t the only artist whose long-awaited return is driving up ticket demand this summer. Just across the East River, Madison Square Garden has also become the place for major comeback shows.
Bon Jovi launched a nine-night residency at the iconic venue on July 7, marking the band’s first full concert in nearly five years after frontman Jon Bon Jovi underwent vocal cord surgery. Reflecting on the emotional moment during opening night, he told the crowd, “I haven’t heard the roar of a crowd in four years.”
Rush is next in line, kicking off a four-night run at Madison Square Garden on July 28 as part of the legendary band’s first tour since 2015. Harry Styles will then take over the venue in August with an impressive 30-show residency, following his record-breaking 12-night stint at Wembley Stadium.
Meanwhile, BTS is generating the same level of excitement worldwide. On July 6, the global superstars performed for approximately 62,000 fans at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium during the first of two sold-out concerts in London. The shows marked BTS’ first performances in the U.K. in seven years after all seven members completed their mandatory military service.
Meanwhile, in Las Vegas, nostalgia is taking center stage at the Sphere.
The Backstreet Boys are set to return on July 16 for six additional performances after their Into the Millennium residency sold out all 35 shows and attracted more than 575,000 fans. Just weeks earlier, No Doubt wrapped up an impressive 18-show run at the same venue, marking the band’s first extended series of live performances in nearly 14 years.
Years of waiting are clearly being reflected in ticket prices.
According to SeatGeek, artists making long-awaited returns are seeing resale ticket prices that are about 50 percent higher than those of today’s biggest touring acts. It seems time away from the stage doesn’t just build anticipation — it also sends resale prices soaring.
