(NewsNation) — When Taylor Swift’s “Eras Tour” ended in December 2024, it marked the end of one of the biggest chapters in the pop star’s career, with the tour bringing over $2 billion in ticket sales, making it the largest-grossing tour in history.
Swift’s record-breaking “Eras Tour” was so successful that it significantly boosted the local economies of the cities she visited but also highlighted troubles in Ticketmaster’s system.
Beyoncé blasts away the competition; J.Lo hopes to replicate
Taylor Swift’s fans hit Ticketmaster snag
FILE – An advertisement for Ticketmaster is viewed along an area reserved for special guests on the sideline of the field before an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack, file)
Like most major artists going on tour, Swift partnered with Ticketmaster to sell tickets to her legion of fans.
Tickets became available in November 2022, and the demand was so high that the company’s website crashed.
According to Ticketmaster, over 3.5 million people signed up for the pre-sale; however, because of overwhelming demand and scalper bots, there were 3.5 billion total system requests when tickets went on sale.
“We want to apologize to Taylor and all of her fans – especially those who had a terrible experience trying to purchase tickets,” the company wrote on its website at the time.
The snafu was such a mess that it led to a Senate Judiciary hearing in January 2023, where both Democrat and Republican lawmakers publicly called Ticketmaster’s corporate parent, Live Nation, a monopoly, according to the New York Times.
Taylor Swift’s ‘Eras Tour’ economic impact
Swift’s 21-month tour helped boost the U.S. economy, as Swifties — the name of the fanbase — spent about $5 billion by the end of the tour, according to CNN.
Local economies around the world also saw the impact of Swift performing in their cities, generating millions of dollars, as NewsNation reported.
Swift’s eight-show stint in London generated an estimated £300 million ($380 million) for the local economy, according to tourism agency London & Partners.
Taylor Swift buys back masters, finally owns all of her music
The California Center for Jobs and The Economy estimated that the “Blank Space” singer’s six-night stop in Los Angeles in August 2023, was estimated to bring a $320 million increase to Los Angeles County’s GDP.
Swift wasn’t the only artist touring in 2023 whose impact was felt on the U.S. and global economies.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 02: (L-R) Taylor Swift presents Beyoncé with the Best Country Album award for “COWBOY CARTER” onstage during the 67th Annual GRAMMY Awards at Crypto.com Arena on February 02, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)
Beyoncé’s “Renaissance World Tour” in 2023 grossed $579 million and even increased Sweden’s inflation in May of that year, according to NPR.
Her Renaissance tour generated $4,5 billion for the U.S. economy, according to the New York Times.
As for Swift, her fans are willing to shell out money to see the pop star.
The asking price for a ticket for one of her shows in Chicago in 2023 was $92,000, NewsNation reported. One fan reportedly spent $11,000 on merchandise at one of her shows.
‘Eras Tour’ made Swift a billionaire
The success of the Eras Tour helped the “All Too Well” singer hit a new milestone.
According to Forbes, Swift became the world’s richest musician, surpassing Rihanna, with a net worth of $1.6 billion in 2024. What makes Swift’s achievement even more impressive is she’s the first musician to make Forbes’ billionaires list based only on the value of her music catalog.
What’s next for Taylor Swift?
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND – JANUARY 28: Travis Kelce #87 of the Kansas City Chiefs celebrates with Taylor Swift after a 17-10 victory against the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship Game at M&T Bank Stadium on January 28, 2024 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
It remains to be seen what Swift does next, but her high-profile romance with Kansas Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce continues to make headlines and money for the NFL.
Kelce and Swift’s relationship generated more than $1 billion in publicity and the league during the 2023-2024 season, according to MarketWatch.
Fans of the music superstar shouldn’t be surprised if we see Swift in the stands supporting her boyfriend as the 2025-2026 NFL season approaches, which could bring another economic boom for the NFL.
