Chairman of The Eden Park Trust, Doug McKay talks to the Herald in 2023 about the exciting proposed changes to Eden Park. Video / NZ Herald
Beyonce’s world tour announcement excludes New Zealand and Australia, sparking speculation about future dates.
Eden Park’s Nick Sautner highlights the venue’s capacity and appeal for hosting major artists.
Fans debate whether Australia would be prioritised over New Zealand if additional tour dates are announced.
Grammy Award winner Beyonce has snubbed New Zealand and Australia in her recent world tour announcement, leading to speculation online as to why and whether a venue like Eden Park could play host to the star if down-under dates were eventually announced.
Moments after winning the award for Best Album for her country-song-filled Cowboy Carter, Beyonce (Beyonce Giselle Knowles-Carter) announced the dates and cities for her Cowboy Carter Rodeo Chitlin’ Circuit Tour, leaving New Zealand and the whole of Australasia off the list and favouring the likes of the US and London instead.
One fan on Reddit said they were surprised that the tour wasn’t announced early down under, considering New Zealand and Australia have seen a renewed interest in country music in recent years, including a successful stadium tour from country superstar Luke Combs.
“I was at a sold-out Accor Stadium for Luke Combs in Sydney. Bey would sell it out within hours!! It would be another [Taylor Swift’s] Eras Tour, with people going crazy for tickets,” a person commented.
Family man and friendly face Luke Combs quenched Kiwis' country thirst at Eden Park. Could Beyonce do the same? Photo / Corey Fleming
Others theorised that there may be a further announcement to come with more countries on the list, considering the tour dates stop in July and her previous tour was rolled out in two stages.
“We’ve proudly hosted sold-out performances by some of the world’s biggest artists including Coldplay, P!NK, Ed Sheeran, Billy Joel, Six60 and Guns N' Roses. And Metallica will take the stage later this year,” Eden Park chief executive Nick Sautner told the Herald.
“We are in constant discussions with promoters as we look to continue attracting the highest calibre of international talent to Auckland and New Zealand,” he said.
He noted that the new resource consent decision to host up to 12 concerts annually and a recent West Stand modification project increasing total capacity placed the venue as “a world-class destination”.
“This positioning, enhanced by our focus on exceptional fan experiences and future improved accessibility via the City Rail Link, makes Eden Park an increasingly attractive option for international artists, particularly those looking to perform multiple shows at a single venue.”
Eden Park chief executive Nick Sautner. Photo / Jason Oxenham
Another topic of debate among fans online was whether Australia would take precedence over New Zealand if dates were announced.
He explained that the limit itself was not exactly an issue, but rather they were finding that promoters were more often than not requiring multiple concert dates to accommodate demand.
“Artists are bypassing New Zealand and fans are missing out,” he said at the time.
It’s also not the first time Beyonce has left Australasia off her touring schedule, with her last Renaissance tour skipping the region entirely.
Several household names bypassed Aotearoa New Zealand on their world tours ahead of Eden Park receiving consent to host 12 concerts a year. Photo / Composite, Getty Images, Anna Lee
According to Rolling Stone NZ/AU, the Mrs Carter Show was the fastest-selling tour of the year for the venue at the time.
It also set a new attendance record for a solo artist, with Beyonce performing to 44,596 fans over four nights and breaking the previous record set by Roger Waters.
A Herald reviewer who attended the show commented on its high production value and the impressive performance from Beyonce, who covered songs by Whitney Houston and belted her way through hits like If I Were A Boy and Run The World.
“Every hip thrust and every hair flick were a statement of precision and power, and the visual presentation was endlessly impressive, whether there were fireworks raining down on the stage, or ballet dancers swirling,” the reviewer said.
Mitchell Hageman joined the Herald’s entertainment and lifestyle team in 2024. He previously worked as a multimedia journalist for Hawke’s Bay Today.
