BOK CENTER CLOSES OUT FISCAL YEAR AS ONE FOR THE RECORD BOOKS
(Tulsa, Okla.) August 19, 2019 – BOK Center has a reputation of breaking records and being considered one of the world’s busiest concert destinations. The venue recently ended their 2018-2019 fiscal year with their second busiest and most profitable year to date, falling short only to 2015 when BOK Center hosted Garth Brooks for seven sold-out performances.
Over the past year, the award-winning arena not only continued to make headlines for ticket sales, but also hosted and produced many “firsts” for Tulsa.
- First ever NHL pre-season game with the Dallas Stars versus the Florida Panthers
- Selling out three, first-time arena headliners with rising country music superstars: Chris Young, Cody Johnson and Luke Combs
- Cirque Du Soleil’s first ice show, “Crystal”
- Hosted first major Latin show with global icon, Ozuna
- Kicked off both Fleetwood Mac’s Fall Tour and Zac Brown Band’s Spring Tour
“We are so thankful for the concert promoters and agents who continue to believe in the Tulsa market and the fans that continue to sell out shows,” said BOK Center General Manager Casey Sparks. “It is an honor that one of the world’s top arenas is in Tulsa and that is testament to our regional ticket buyers, sponsors and corporate partners that have supported this venue from day one.”
BOK Center had its hands full with many of these first time events, but also ended up saying “Farewell” to two global music icons, Elton John and Bob Seger. Both icons each performed in Tulsa one last time in the first half of 2019. In addition, BOK Center’s regularly scheduled programming featured blockbuster events with Imagine Dragons, Def Leppard/Journey, Panic! At The Disco, Bruno Mars (2 sold-out shows), Travis Scott, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Kelly Clarkson, James Taylor/Bonnie Raitt, Jeff Dunham, Snoop Dogg, Kevin Hart, NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament and so many more. One highlight, was of course the return of Metallica after 10 years, where the world renowned metal group broke a single-show attendance record at BOK Center of 19,288.
BOK Center also took home the gold when named “Arena of the Year” at the International Entertainment Buyers Association (IEBA) conference in Nashville. The venue beat out an elite group of nominees that included Allstate Arena (Rosemont, IL), Golden 1 Center (Sacramento, CA), Madison Square Garden (New York, NY), The O2 (London, UK), Prudential Center (Newark, NJ) and T-Mobile Arena (Las Vegas, NV).
“We have some of the most dedicated and engaged staff I could ever hope for,” Sparks went on. “Our busy season is a grind for everyone involved, but the buy-in we have from our employees and the commitment we see on a daily basis to continually serve the Tulsa community is what makes BOK Center the best in this region. The attitude in our office isn’t complacent with what we have done in the past, but it is about where we can go in the future.”
Sparks, who took over the General Manager role of SMG Tulsa in January, has the arena’s next fiscal year off to a hot start already. After three sold-out shows in July with Michael Buble, Shawn Mendes and Cardi B, BOK Center is already projected to have the busiest Fall in venue history.
“I remember feeling determined, yet nervous when BOK Center first opened because of all of the naysayers who objected against building this arena,” Sparks remarked. “It’s eleven years later, and we’re still breaking records and leading the charge for arenas all around the globe. It’s remarkable.”
BOK Center’s fiscal year ran from July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2019.