In its final year, Yankee Stadium stays as week’s top venue

TicketNews has released its exclusive venues rankings for the week ending Sunday, August 17, and Yankee Stadium remains the top venue, holding the number one slot with a power score of 3.62. In its eighth week at the top, Yankee Stadium this week holds a commanding lead over all competitors, with its next closest rival, the Gershwin Theater in at number two with a power score of only 2.28. The Gershwin, enjoying continued robust sales of tickets for “Wicked,” is this week’s top Broadway venue once again and jumps back up to the overall number two slot from last week’s number five.

Texas Stadium is the second sporting venue in the rankings this week. This week the stadium comes in at an impressive number three position overall with a power score of 2.20, up from position number six and power score of 1.73 last week. As the Dallas Cowboys’ season approaches, their fans are showing their love with their wallets, making this venue a real mover and shaker this week.

Venues for big name performers round out the week’s top five. Madison Square Garden (MSG) comes in at number four in the rankings, one slot down from last week with a power score of 2.14. MSG, perched in the top five for this entire summer, can thank strong sales for performers like Madonna and Celine Dion for its staying power. Caesar’s Palace Colosseum in Las Vegas makes it into the top ten for the first time in four weeks, finishing this week at number five with a power score of 2.09. This move was fueled by sales of Cher, Bette Midler, and Elton John tickets. John is winding down this current engagement with limited dates remaining at the venue because he is leaving for upcoming Canadian and European tours.

Devoted sports fans are ensuring that the next three venues remain in the top ten rankings this week. Giants Stadium arrives in sixth place this week with a power score of 2.03. As football season approaches, sales of New York Giants tickets provide the stadium with a respectable showing in this week’s rankings, though it has slipped a bit this week, down from number two last week. Fenway Park moves up one slot to the number seven position on this week’s rankings, with a power score of 1.89. Wrigley Field, host to the NL Central leading Chicago Cubs, drops one slot this week to the number eight position, with a power score of 1.62.

Up one from last week to number nine, with a power score of 1.60, the Vivian Beaumont Theatre at Lincoln Center maintains a solid top ten showing based on continued strong sales of “South Pacific” tickets. Finally, football fans boost one more venue into the top ten this week. As Heinz Field gears up to host pre-season and regular season home games for the Pittsburgh Steelers, it arrives in the number ten position this week, with a power score of 1.24.

TicketNews Exclusive Rankings and Power Scores are based on ticket sales for venues from the TicketNetwork Exchange™, the world’s largest secondary market exchange. A Power Score illustrates a given venue’s category-specific significance. Two factors are used to calculate a power score: total ticket sales for a venue, and total ticket sales within the category. As such, power scores should only be used to compare venues within a particular category.

Top VenuesWeek Ending 08/17/2008