News March 1, 2018

Ed Sheeran on selling 1 million tickets in Australia, NZ: “Weird to have one in 23 people come…”

It’s official – Ed Sheeran’s Australian and New Zealand tour is now the region’s biggest ever.

Frontier Touring has confirmed it has hit the 1 million mark on just one tour alone, well and truly toppling the 32 year old record set by Dire Straits when they sold 950,000 on their Brothers In Arms 1986 tour.

When tickets went on sale last year, both Sheeran and Frontier Touring boss Michael Gudinski had their hearts set on toppling the Dire Straits milestone.

Nevertheless, Sheeran seemed both chuffed and overwhelmed at a media call in Perth yesterday.

“It feels weird to have one in 23 people come to a show,” he said, referencing the total Australian population.

“That does feel a bit odd. But it’s best not to think about it. It’s best to take it one show at a time.”

The stats are even more impressive in New Zealand’s Dunedin where he plays three shows at the Forsyth Barr Stadium on March 29, 31 and April 1.

The total attendance there is almost the city’s population of 117,300 (as of the last available stats in 2015) which is 2.59% of New Zealand’s total population.

Gudinski stated, “Frontier has toured some of the biggest names in music, including Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, Paul McCartney, and The Rolling Stones, but I’ve never seen a tour like Ed’s.

“To sell one million tickets is simply phenomenal.

“Frontier has toured Ed from the beginning — from small theatres through to multiple stadiums and his outstanding work ethic, talent, passion and dedication to his fans has produced this incredible result – he is truly gifted.

“Since I’ve gotten to know Ed I’ve discovered his fondness for breaking records and I can absolutely say he’s smashed this one out of the park and I’m very proud Frontier Touring has been a big part of it.”

Frontier also noted that Sheeran’s seven-city 18 show stadium tour also broke the following records:

* Highest ticket sales for a single concert tour in Australia

* Highest ticket sales for a single concert tour in New Zealand

* Biggest stadium tour of Australia and New Zealand

* Venue record for most number of shows on one tour

Optus Stadium (Perth), Etihad Stadium (Melbourne), Suncorp Stadium (Brisbane), Forsyth Barr Stadium (Dunedin)

* Venue record for highest cumulative attendance on one tour Optus Stadium, ANZ Stadium (Sydney), Etihad Stadium, Mt Smart Stadium (Auckland), Suncorp Stadium, Forsyth Barr Stadium

* Venue record for highest attendance for a single show

Optus Stadium, Suncorp Stadium, Mt Smart Stadium, Forsyth Barr Stadium

What’s more impressive is that Sheeran achieved such sales from just appearing onstage with a guitar and an effects pedal.

That could possibly change on his next tour of the region.

“I wouldn’t mind getting a band but I’d only get a band if the show could be better than the show I have now,” he said.

“But yeah I’ve been thinking about it and I think doing a show half-band, half-pedal might be quite interesting.

“There was a musician that I toured with ages ago and I was always talking about getting a band and he said: ’You don’t need to get a band because all your fans want to do is sing along with you’.”

In addition, here are some Australian and New Zealand stats on the ÷ (Divide) album.

AUSTRALIA

÷ has to date spent 22 weeks at #1 on the ARIA Album Chart

÷ is certified 7 x Platinum

÷ was the Biggest Selling Album of 2017 in Australia

‘Shape Of You’ single is certified 10 x Platinum

‘Shape Of You’ was the Biggest Selling Single of 2017 in Australia

‘Castle On The Hill ‘is certified 6 x Platinum

‘Galway Girl’ is certified 4 x Platinum

‘Perfect’ is certified 7 x Platinum

NEW ZEALAND

÷ has to date spent 25 weeks at #1 on the Official NZ Music Chart