More posts have been deleted. Members have been warned/banned. Again, if you can't discuss things in here intelligently and without flaming, name-calling, etc., leave the forum.

And yes, as p8ru2 says, the LARGE FONT crap has to stop.

Let's stop with the name calling and snipes already! And the big fonts don't help either.   

U2 will make money in 2010 as projected and they are a business.  What they're making from ticket sales vs. the costs is not just "strictly business" however, and I agree that its both trying to stretch the boundaries of their show and staging elements as well as satisfy both casual and longtime fans.  If it were strictly business, they'd keep a more keen eye on the margins and bottom line to profit more, and have more of a stripped down show, even if performing in stadiums.  The pricing is for fans and also given the recession, with lower prices up to high for those who can afford it.  One thing mentioned previously by a poster is that they will make money on merch which is not included in these figures discussed.  The sales for merch may be down from indications and a recessionary standpoint but I'm sure that it will add to the profits in 2010.

Where are these profit projections of which you speak?

Let us not forget the Zoo TV show actually lost money aside from T shirt sales. Bono said at one point "I feel like a travelling t shirt salesman".

So far U2 have invested many millions in creating not 1, or 2, but 3 Claws, as well as a show that costs $750k per day - show or not. Working that out, the four months of the tour cost U2 investment wise $82m for the 40 or so shows, plus the pre-production of 2 weeks in Barca and the creation of the claw. Overall I would say that it has cost them $100m so far with $200m+ in revenues. So whilst they may have lost money so far, when they get to show 80 or so, the initial investment and so on will put the show at a profit of around $2m a night at least.

Let's stop with the name calling and snipes already! And the big fonts don't help either.   

U2 will make money in 2010 as projected and they are a business.  What they're making from ticket sales vs. the costs is not just "strictly business" however, and I agree that its both trying to stretch the boundaries of their show and staging elements as well as satisfy both casual and longtime fans.  If it were strictly business, they'd keep a more keen eye on the margins and bottom line to profit more, and have more of a stripped down show, even if performing in stadiums.  The pricing is for fans and also given the recession, with lower prices up to high for those who can afford it.  One thing mentioned previously by a poster is that they will make money on merch which is not included in these figures discussed.  The sales for merch may be down from indications and a recessionary standpoint but I'm sure that it will add to the profits in 2010.

Where are these profit projections of which you speak?

Nothing official silvrlvr - just calculations taken from articles and posted on the first page of this thread. I'm not sure about markreed's calculations for 2010 profits of $2M / night but they will make money in the end with both tix and merch. 
 

well, $300 million minus operating costs. then again, I don't think the merch $$$ are counted in that $300 million, just ticket sales.

#@!

good point...

still though, if they can sell 300 million worth of tickets for the second half, they still will be getting a lot

That'd be gross profit less  operating costs as noted - the $750K (daily?) costs of the each show. 
12 concerts in the 3rd leg X 750 = 12.75M in operating costs = 17.25M net profit before taxes. 
Divided by 5 = $3.45 MIL each net profits BEFORE Corporate and/or Personal TAX)

That's alot for any one of us but definitely a pittance compared to what the tour is costing them to deliver it. 
I'd think the merch is not included also - but they're not selling out by any means, seeing past leg merch is on Fanfire at discount.