A few weeks after the start of their show in the spectacular event hall “The Sphere” in Las Vegas, the rock band U2 is being forced out by Formula 1
When Formula 1 comes to Las Vegas, even a successful rock band like U2 has to make way. From November 4 to December 1, the Irish band will have to suspend their show in the spectacular event hall “The Sphere”, as part of the area around the hall is needed for the construction of the race track
“Like I said, we’re taking a little break after tonight. We’re giving Las Vegas back to Formula 1,” said Forntsinger Bono in the final show before the break, after introducing the band as Max Verstappen [Dutch stand-in drummer Bram van den Berg], Lewis Hamilton [Adam Clayton], Charles Leclerc [The Edge] and Daniel Ricciardo [himself] at the start of the show.
Bono also took the opportunity to give the Las Vegas audience a little lesson. “If you don’t know what Formula 1 is, it’s a sport where very neat, lean, mean men and a few extraordinary women get on rockets and try to stay on the ground and not get into orbit, that sort of thing. A bit like rock ‘n’ roll, actually! Only less dangerous,” he jokes.
Exterior façade is animated with 56.7 million LEDs
The $2.3 billion spherical event hall “The Sphere”, whose exterior façade can be animated with 56.7 million LEDs, only opened on September 29, 2023. Since then, it has been home to U2 – until Formula 1 came along.
According to Greg Maffei, CEO of rights holder Liberty Media, Formula 1 has rented “The Sphere” for the time around the first Las Vegas Grand Prix. “The race will take place around the Sphere. So we are using its property,” he says. This also includes the animated exterior façade, which will feature advertising during the race weekend.
“We’ve built that into some [sponsorship] deals and also sold advertising directly to parties during the race, which covers some of our costs,” says Maffei. “Those costs were necessary for us because we had to be on their property.” There will also be a brunch organized by Liberty Media at the venue on Sunday after the race.
“We have a long-term relationship with the Sphere and I think we will be putting on even more programs,” says Maffei. In the future, Formula 1 wants to integrate the Sphere even more into the concept of the Las Vegas Grand Prix.
This year, the program had to be improvised somewhat, as it was not clear for a long time whether the hall could be opened in time for the race. “I think we’ll have a lot more to do in the coming years,” says Maffei.
