TicketNews has released its exclusive venues rankings for the week ending Sunday, May 3, and in the midst of heavy playoff action, TD Banknorth Garden takes top honors this week. Hometown favorites the Boston Celtics have made it to Eastern Conference semifinal play against the Orlando Magic, with the Magic taking a 1-0 lead in the series. Game two of the semifinals is scheduled for May 6 at the Garden. The Boston Bruins are also in Eastern Conference semifinal play against the Carolina Hurricanes, in a playoff series that makes it to number six this week in TicketNews’s Top Sports Events rankings. The Bruins are even with the Hurricanes at 1-1, with the next game scheduled for May 6 at Carolina. The Garden also will see two July dates on the Jonas Brothers tour, which holds at number four in this week’s Top Concert Events rankings. TD Banknorth Garden finishes with a power score of 2.85.

Debuting at number two this week is the Pepsi Center in Denver, CO. The venue is hosting its Denver Nuggets in Western Conference semifinal play against the Dallas Mavericks. The Nuggets lead 1-0 in a series that hits at number three in this week’s Top Sports Events rankings. Game two will be played tonight, May 5, at the Pepsi Center. In concerts, the Center has an impressive roster up for the coming weeks, with dates scheduled for The Dead, the Jonas Brothers, and Fleetwood Mac, all finishing in the top ten of this week’s Top Concert Events rankings. The Pepsi Center power scores a 2.27 this week.

The Gershwin Theatre drops down one to take the number three spot this week. Power scoring a 2.25, the Gershwin enjoys continued robust sales for its blockbuster musical Wicked, which again tops our Top Broadway Events, Top Theater Events and Top Events rankings this week. The Nikon at Jones Beach Theater moves up two this week to the number four slot, power scoring a 2.24. This outdoor venue has a packed summer schedule, including box-office winners Aerosmith and ZZ Top, Kenny Chesney and the Dave Matthews Band, hitting at numbers one, two, and three, respectively, on this week’sTop Concert Events rankings.

Fenway Park falls hard from its perch at number one last week, landing in the number five spot. Fenway’s Boston Red Sox, maintaining their leader position in our Top Sports Events this week, continue to enjoy strong ticket sales and keep this venue a solid top five contender. Also shoring up the park’s standing this week is the Dave Matthews Band’s rare two-date appearance there later this month. Fenway Park has a power score of 2.15 this week. The new Yankee Stadium follows Fenway once again this week, moving down to the number six spot. The stadium is of course
home to the legendary New York Yankees, which hold second place in TicketNews’s Top Sports Events rankings. Though slow sales recently forced the stadium to drastically reduce the price of luxury seats, sales for lower tier seats are stable enough to keep this venue finishing in the top ten. The New Yankee Stadium power scores a 1.89 this week.



The Toyota Center in Houston, TX returns to the list this week at number seven as its Houston Rockets take on the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference semifinals. The Rockets lead 1-0 in the series, which peaks at number eight this week in the Top Sports Events rankings. Game Two is scheduled for May 6 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA. In performance dates, the Toyota Center has a number of top-sellers scheduled in the coming months, including Beyonce in July and tween faves the Jonas Brothers in August. The Toyota Center finishes the week with a power score of 1.75.

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The MGM Grand Garden Arena drops one to end in the number eight position. The MGM enjoyed strong sales for its May 2 bout between Manny Pacquiao and Ricky Hatton, a match that Pacquiao won decisively with a second round KO. The MGM also has a number of top artists visiting in the coming weeks, including the Dave Matthews Band and Fleetwood Mac. The MGM Grand Garden Arena power scores a 1.62 this week.

The Orpheum Theatre in San Francisco, CA moves up one to number nine this week. Power scoring a 1.54, the Orpheum is presenting a West Coast company in the hit musical “Wicked”, currently booked through September. Wrigley Fielddrops one more this week to land in the number ten spot. With a power score of 1.48, Wrigley is home field to the popular Chicago Cubs, which this week finish at number four in our Top Sports Events rankings. The venue also will see two dates on the Elton John and Billy Joel Face 2 Face tour in July.

Basketball and hockey playoff venues rule this week, as do baseball stadiums. With the rapid approach of the summer concert season, both indoor and outdoor arenas seem to be doing well. The Gershwin and the Orpheum remain the only two theater venues in our top ten.

TicketNews Exclusive Rankings and Power Scores are based on ticket sales for venues from the TicketNetwork Exchange™, the world’s largest secondary market exchange. A Power Score illustrates a given venue’s category-specific significance. Two factors are used to calculate a power score: total ticket sales for a venue, and total ticket sales within the category. As such, power scores should only be used to compare venues within a particular category.

Top Venues

Week Ending 05/03/2009

      Venue Score
1 TD Banknorth Garden Tickets 2.85
2 Pepsi Center Tickets 2.27
3 Gershwin Theatre Tickets 2.25
4 Nikon at Jones Beach Theater Tickets 2.24
5 Fenway Park Tickets 2.15
6 New Yankee Stadium Tickets 1.89
7 Toyota Center – TX Tickets 1.75
8 MGM Grand Garden Arena Tickets 1.62
9 Orpheum Theatre San Francisco Tickets 1.54
10 Wrigley Field Tickets 1.48
11 Verizon Center – DC Tickets 1.44
12 Dallas Cowboys Stadium Tickets 1.25
13 Staples Center Tickets 1.20
14 Madison Square Garden Tickets 1.10
15 American Airlines Center Tickets 0.96
16 Virginia/August Wilson Theatre – NY Tickets 0.96
17 Churchill Downs Tickets 0.92
18 United Center Tickets 0.89
19 Allstate Arena Tickets 0.86
20 Caesars Palace Colosseum Tickets 0.83
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