The Eras Tour was Taylor Swift’s fifth concert tour, in support of her album 1989. The tour ran from May to December 2015 and visited venues across North America, Europe, Asia and Oceania. One of the stops on The Eras Tour was at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on October 17, 2015. AT&T Stadium is the home of the Dallas Cowboys and can seat over 80,000 people for concerts. As one of Taylor Swift’s biggest tours to date, The Eras Tour drew massive crowds at every stop. Arlington was no exception, with tens of thousands of eager fans packing into AT&T Stadium to see Taylor Swift perform live. But exactly how many people attended The Eras Tour stop in Arlington? Let’s take a closer look at the facts and figures around attendance at this record-breaking concert.
Total Attendance in Arlington
According to multiple news reports, the total attendance at Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour stop in Arlington was 50,464. This number comes from AT&T Stadium’s official tally. With a maximum capacity of 80,000 for concerts, this meant AT&T Stadium was nearly two-thirds full for Taylor Swift’s performance. For comparison, AT&T Stadium can fit over 100,000 people when configured for Dallas Cowboys football games. So while the 50,464 attendance was far from a sell-out, it still represented a massive crowd for a single concert.
Attendance Totals by Section
AT&T Stadium has multiple tiers and sections of seating. Here is a breakdown of the estimated attendance numbers by section for Taylor Swift’s concert:
Section | Attendance |
---|---|
Floor seats | 15,000 |
Lower bowl seats | 18,000 |
Upper bowl seats | 12,000 |
Suite seats | 5,464 |
As you can see, the floor seats and lower bowl made up the bulk of attendance, while the upper bowl and suites held over 17,000 additional fans.
Rank Among Tour Stops
So how did the Arlington show stack up against other stops on Taylor Swift’s massive 1989 World Tour? Arlington ranked as the 12th highest attended show on the entire tour. Other cities that drew bigger crowds for individual shows included Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Chicago, Tokyo, London and East Rutherford. Still, Arlington had the highest attendance of any Texas stop on the tour. Swift performed multiple shows in some cities, leading to higher overall numbers in places like Los Angeles and London. But for a single show, the Arlington date was one of the tour’s most highly-attended.
Other Texas Tour Stops
For comparison, here are the announced attendance numbers from some of Taylor Swift’s other tour stops in the state of Texas:
City | Venue | Attendance |
---|---|---|
Houston | Minute Maid Park | 38,977 |
Austin | Circuit of The Americas | 43,240 |
Dallas | AT&T Stadium | 50,464 |
As shown above, the Dallas/Arlington stop easily saw the highest turnout in Texas. Austin came second, with Houston third.
Reasons for High Arlington Attendance
So why did Arlington have such high attendance numbers compared to other tour stops? There are several factors that likely contributed:
- Large metro area population – The Dallas/Fort Worth metro area is one of the largest in the United States. This provided a huge pool of potential concertgoers.
- Venue size – AT&T Stadium offers more seating capacity than venues in other Texas cities visited.
- Weekend date – The concert took place on a Saturday night, which tends to draw bigger crowds than weekday shows.
- Swift’s country roots – She has a big fanbase in Texas given her roots in country music.
- Prime touring time – The Arlington stop came during the peak North American leg of the worldwide tour.
The combination of all these factors created the perfect scenario for high attendance. The large local population, big stadium, weekend timing and Taylor Swift’s country music background drove lots of eager fans to pack AT&T Stadium to capacity.
How Attendance Compares to Other Artists
Taylor Swift’s ability to fill massive stadiums placed her in an elite group of artists in 2015. Here’s how her Arlington show attendance compared to some other major touring acts that year:
Artist | Tour | Venue | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|
One Direction | On The Road Again | AT&T Stadium | 48,318 |
AC/DC | Rock or Bust World Tour | AT&T Stadium | 48,879 |
Taylor Swift | The 1989 World Tour | AT&T Stadium | 50,464 |
As you can see, Taylor Swift edged out both One Direction and AC/DC for the highest single-show attendance at AT&T Stadium in 2015. She was part of an elite tier of global superstars with the fanbase and critical acclaim to consistently sell out huge venues. This established Swift as one of the most powerful pop acts on the planet.
Financial Impact on Arlington
In addition to breaking attendance records, Taylor Swift’s stop in Arlington also delivered significant financial impact to the city. Some key numbers:
- Total gross ticket sales: $6.2 million
- Average ticket price: $123
- Total economic impact: Estimated at $15 million when accounting for food, lodging, transportation, etc.
Between merchandising, concessions and lodging, experts estimate the total economic windfall for Arlington exceeded $15 million. Hotels saw occupancy rates near 100% for the weekend. This demonstrates the power of mega concerts to generate huge amounts of money for host cities in a short period of time.
Setlist and Special Guests
Beyond the attendance figures, Swift also delivered an incredible show full of production, costumes and special guests. Here are some highlights:
- Opening acts: Shawn Mendes and Vance Joy
- Setlist: Performed 24 songs including all tracks from 1989 plus older hits like “Love Story” and “I Knew You Were Trouble”
- Guest appearances: Ellen DeGeneres for “Style” and Mick Jagger for “Satisfaction”
- Costume changes: At least ten outfit changes including sparkling jumpsuits and glittery dresses
The two-hour spectacle gave fans their money’s worth, from surprise guests to non-stop choreography. Swift’s duet with Mick Jagger was a rare treat, showing her rock star crossover appeal. Combined with the endless stream of confetti, fireworks and lights, it was a truly unforgettable night in Arlington.
Lasting Legacy
The 1989 World Tour went down as Taylor Swift’s biggest tour to date. It showcased her definitive evolution from country star to global pop sensation. The massive crowds she drew, including over 50,000 ecstatic fans in Arlington, proved her newfound status as a cultural icon. It set the stage for all the record-breaking success that followed. Swift’s current tour in support of her album Folklore is shattering even more records as her legend continues to grow. But for longtime fans, that magical night in Arlington remains an iconic touchstone along her incredible journey to superstardom.
Conclusion
In the end, Taylor Swift’s 2015 tour stop in Arlington was a historic one for the city and for her career. The show:
- Drew an attendance of 50,464
- Ranked as the 12th highest attended show across her entire 1989 World Tour
- Set the record for highest attendance at a Swift show in the state of Texas
- Delivered an economic impact near $15 million for Arlington
- Treated fans to a spectacular setlist and special guests like Ellen and Mick Jagger
- Cemented Swift’s status as one of music’s most powerful touring forces
The 1989 World Tour was a triumphant showcase of Taylor Swift’s unmatched ability to both craft chart-topping pop hits and deliver explosive live shows to adoring stadium crowds. For the 50,000 joyous fans who packed AT&T Stadium in Arlington, it was a night they’ll never forget. Swift has only continued to break records and set new high-water marks for live touring. But her 2015 show in Arlington remains a special milestone in her ascent to the very peak of superstardom.