According to TicketNews’s exclusive Top Venues rankings for the week ending Sunday, January 3, Madison Square Garden (MSG) once again took over the number one spot, leading all competitors this week.

Boosting MSG’s numbers are strong ticket sales for hometown teams the New York Knicks, at number four in TicketNews’s Top Sports Events rankings this week, and New York Rangers, at number nine. Also supporting MSG’s performance this week are sales for some top musical artists arriving in the coming months, including the Black Eyed Peas (at number five in TicketNews’s Top Concert Events rankings this week) and John Mayer (at number six) in February, as well as Michael Bublé (number four) in March. MSG power scored an impressive 3.90 this week.

Dallas Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, TX, made a big move this week, up to number two from last week’s number thirteen slot and power scoring a 3.26. The Stadium benefits from brisk ticket sales for the Dallas Cowboys, which clinched the NFC East and took third place in this week’s Top Sports Events rankings. Dallas’s ticket sales for a January 9 NFC Wild Card match up against the Philadelphia Eagles took the game to number six in this week’s Top Sports rankings.

The Gershwin Theatre in New York City once again out-performed all other theaters to take number three in this week’s rankings. Continued strong sales for its award-winning musical Wicked keep this venue a top five contender week after week. The Gershwin power scored a 3.20.

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The Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA, was number four in the rankings this week. Power scoring a 2.29, the Center is home to Western Conference leaders the L.A. Lakers, which are ranked second in Top Sports once again this week, as well as the L.A. Kings. The venue also will see its share of popular musical acts in the coming months, including Bon Jovi (at number seven in this week’s Top Concerts) in March and Taylor Swift (at number two) in April. The WWE, at number eight in this week’s Top Sports rankings, makes a stop at Staples in March.

Number five this week, the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA, enjoys returns from two big January Bowl games. First came the stadium’s legendary Rose Bowl on January 1, won by the Ohio State Buckeyes over the Oregon Ducks. On January 7, the venue will host the BCS National Championship game, which this year has the Texas Longhorns opposing the Alabama Crimson Tide. For the fifth week straight, sales for Crimson Tide tickets took this game to number one in Top Sports Events. The Rose Bowl power scored a 1.95 this week.

The Rosemont Theatre in Rosemont, IL made a splash this week in the top ten, debuting in the number six spot with a power score of 1.85. Rosemont’s numbers seem to be helped by a three date appearance this weekend by Lady Gaga, who dominated this week’s Top Concerts rankings and took number two in Top Events. The Rosemont also offers live theater productions, hosting a company of Mamma Mia! later this month.

Down just one spot from last week, the number seven Orpheum Theatre in San Francisco, CA, continues its West Coast run of the musical “Wicked”. The Orpheum power scored a 1.70 this week. Down four to number eight, the TD Garden (Fleet Center) in Boston, MA maintained in the top ten on continued strong ticket sales for hometown teams the Boston Bruins and the Eastern Conference leading Boston Celtics, who took number ten in Top Sports this week. The Garden also will see performances by John Mayer and the Black Eyed Peas in the coming weeks, and this weekend, the venue will host a date on the WWE tour. TD Garden finished the week with a power score of 1.68.

LandShark Stadium (formerly Dolphin Stadium) in Miami Gardens, FL hangs tough in the top ten for a second week, this time dropping two to the number nine position. With a power score of 1.67, the stadium will host some of this year’s most anticipated football events, including tonight’s Orange Bowl, pitting the Iowa Hawkeyes against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, NFL’s Pro Bowl on January 31, and Super Bowl XLIV on February 7.

Fenway Park made it back into the top ten this week, up five from last week’s number fifteen and power scoring a 1.45. Fenway’s renewed popularity in recent weeks has been due to its special event on New Year’s Day, the NHL’s Winter Classic with the hometown Boston Bruins vs. Philadelphia Flyers. The Bruins, whose ticket sales for the event brought it to number five in this week’s Top Sports, won the game in overtime.

Indoor and outdoor sports arenas hit it big in this week’s top ten, with NFL playoff and Bowl stadiums, as well as hockey and basketball venues, performing well. The Orpheum and Rosemont join the Gershwin in the top ten, bringing the total of theater venues to three.

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 1/3/2010

       Venue Score
1 Madison Square Garden Tickets 3.90
2 Dallas Cowboys Stadium Tickets 3.26
3 Gershwin Theatre Tickets 3.20
4 Staples Center Tickets 2.29
5 Rose Bowl Tickets 1.95
6 Rosemont Theatre Tickets 1.85
7 Orpheum Theatre – San Francisco Tickets 1.70
8 TD Garden (Fleet Center) Tickets 1.68
9 LandShark Stadium (Formerly Dolphin Stadium) Tickets 1.67
10 Fenway Park Tickets 1.45
11 United Center Tickets 1.45
12 Radio City Music Hall Tickets 1.33
13 Wachovia Center Tickets 1.32
14 Pepsi Center Tickets 1.26
15 Virginia/August Wilson Theatre – NY Tickets 1.23
16 Bank Of America Theatre (formerly Lasalle Bank Theatre) Tickets 1.04
17 Gillette Stadium Tickets 1.03
18 Verizon Center – DC Tickets 1.02
19 University Of Phoenix Stadium Tickets 1.00
20 Imperial Theatre – NY Tickets 0.98