Here’s Why Bruce Springsteen Decided to Extend His Broadway Run
Forget Vegas. Bruce Springsteen may have found a new home for big musical acts.
The Boss has announced a third extension to his perennially sold out Springsteen on Broadway show, which will keep him playing the Manhattan gig through Dec. 15, 2018.
What’s the appeal of Broadway vs. a stadium tour, though? For Springsteen, it could come down to a few factors.
Springsteen’s The River anniversary tour in 2016 was the year’s top grossing concert, bringing in $268.3 million, according to Pollstar. Springsteen on Broadway, meanwhile, has had box office receipts of $44 million during its five-month run.
But the Broadway show has considerably lower expenses. There’s no band to pay, nor roadies or hotel bills, or any of the other costs of traveling around the country. And even by Broadway standards, it’s a cheap show, since there’s no supporting cast and a small crew required to run it. The profit margins are significantly higher.
Springsteen plays five shows a week. The rest of the time, he can skip hotel life and head home to his equestrian ranch in Colts Neck, N.J., roughly an hour from the theater. That’s appealing for anyone, especially a 68 year old.
Tickets for Springsteen on Broadway have been red hot from the moment they went on sale—and Springsteen hates to leave fans disappointed. The only people who will have a chance to pick up seats to these extra shows will be those who had earlier registered to buy, but weren’t able to get them. (Well, and people willing to pay outrageous amounts to scalpers.) Springsteen says this will be the final extension of the show.