While the Las Vegas Sphere revolutionised the live concert experience, building it came with a hefty price tag. The grandiose structure cost $2.3 billion to build, and has reportedly “lost over” $500M dollars since 2023. And it likely wont make it back any time soon, considering very few artists are able to perform there.
Filling the 20,000 capacity venue isn’t necessarily the problem – its the immersive wraparound LED screens. Artists must have the means to create high-quality visuals knowing that they are essentially one-use, tailor-made for the Sphere alone. However, plans have been made to change this: Mini Spheres.
The smaller Sphere venues be built around the world and will seat around 5,000 people, according to EDM. The scaled down capacity and LED screen will allow smaller artists to experiment with the spherical venue’s potential. It also means that a wider variety of artists will be able to perform; certain genres may never make the top 10, but cult bands will comfortably fill a 5,000 capacity venue.
Mini Spheres will also see a more regular turnover of performers overall. It’s a factor that will benefit artists and audiences, encouraging more niche artists a chance to push their creative vision and also allow their fans to experience the Sphere. More shows could also mean a more regular flow of income for the venues.
So far, crowds have loved the Sphere’s groundbreaking visuals. U2’s 2023 residency opened the Sphere up on a high, with The Eagles and Anyma also hosting their own shows since.
Mini Sphere plans come as Sphere Entertainment Co.’s latest project, following on from the announcement of Abu Dhabi’s Sphere. The upcoming Abu Dhabi Sphere is set to “echo the scale of the 20,000-capacity Sphere in Las Vegas”.
London was also on the cards for a full-scale Sphere, before Mayor Sadiq Khan rejected the plans in November 2023. It was set to be built in Stratford near the Olympic Park and Westfield shopping centre before being shut down.
At the time, a spokesperson for the Mayor of London said: “London is open to investment from around the world and Sadiq wants to see more world-class, ambitious, innovative entertainment venues in our city.”
“But as part of looking at the planning application for the MSG Sphere, the Mayor has seen independent evidence that shows the current proposals would result in an unacceptable negative impact on local residents.”
Concerns included light pollution and the burden 20,000 Sphere concertgoers would put on public transport.
