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Taylor Swift Tampa shows may have made $5M for Raymond James Stadium

Each sold-out concert brought in more profits than the artist’s last 2015 and 2018 Tampa shows did combined, early estimates show.
Taylor Swift performs “The Man” during the first of her three sold-out Tampa shows on the Eras tour at Raymond James Stadium on April 13.
Taylor Swift performs “The Man” during the first of her three sold-out Tampa shows on the Eras tour at Raymond James Stadium on April 13. [ MARTHA ASENCIO-RHINE | Times ]
Published May 1|Updated May 5

It’s no longer a blank space on the check. The numbers are in.

Taylor Swift’s Eras tour stop in Tampa from April 13 to 15 may have made more than $5.1 million in profits for Raymond James Stadium, according to early estimates from the Tampa Sports Authority, which operates the county-owned stadium.

More than 66,000 people went to each sold-out show, according to the sports authority’s agenda notes published ahead of its Tuesday meeting.

The first show made over $3.8 million in revenue from licensing, merchandise, concessions and parking. Subtract about $2.1 million in costs and the stadium brought in about $1.6 million in profits on night one.

The gains only went up each evening.

The second night brought in $1.7 million, early estimates show. By night three, the stadium made nearly $1.8 million, bringing the total profits past $5 million.

Each Eras show may have made more for Raymond James Stadium than Tampa’s 1989 tour and Reputation tour concerts combined, early estimates show.

The Tampa Sports Authority did not immediately respond to calls and emails requesting comment.

The Eras tour caused mass frenzy, and more dates were added to the original lineup due to high demand. Tampa went from having one concert to three in a row. Then Ticketmaster crashed after sales opened.

Fans wait in line to buy merchandise ahead of the Taylor Swift Eras Tour concert outside of Raymond James Stadium in Tampa on April 13.
Fans wait in line to buy merchandise ahead of the Taylor Swift Eras Tour concert outside of Raymond James Stadium in Tampa on April 13. [ JEFFEREE WOO | Times ]

Before her Tampa concerts, hotel prices around Raymond James Stadium spiked to more than $1,000 a night at some places. Lines winded outside the stadium for the merch truck, with fans showing up as early as 6 a.m., and parking cost more than $50 on show days.

The Tampa Sports Authority made $2 per ticket sold from a facility fee, according to a licensing agreement with Swift’s tour promoter, the Messina Touring Group. The Hillsborough County agency also kept all revenues from parking (about $278,000 each night) and concessions ($740,000 a night).

The authority also got 7.5% from merchandise sales. Those exact numbers were not included in meeting notes but they have been in the past lumped in with ticket purchases, suite sales and sponsorship revenues into a “license fee,” which made $8.6 million total revenue or about $2.8 million a night.

The money made from concerts and events is split between the Tampa Sports Authority and the Buccaneers, per their profit-sharing agreement.