If Formula 1 comes to Las Vegas, a successful rock band like U2 will also have to make way. From November 4th to December 1st, the Irish have to suspend their show in the spectacular event hall “The Sphere” because part of the area around the hall is needed for the construction of the race track.
“As I said, we’re taking a little break after tonight. We’re giving Las Vegas back to Formula 1,” said Fornt singer Bono in the last show before the break, after introducing the band as Max Verstappen at the beginning of the show [der niederländische Ersatzschlagzeuger Bram van den Berg]Lewis Hamilton [Adam Clayton]Charles Leclerc [The Edge] and Daniel Ricciardo [er selbst] had imagined.
Bono also took the opportunity to give the Las Vegas audience a little tutoring lesson. “If you don’t know what Formula 1 is, it’s a sport where very neat, slim, mean men and a few extraordinary women get on rockets and try to stay on earth and not go into orbit, like that “Something like that. A bit like rock ‘n’ roll, actually! Only less dangerous,” he jokes.
The outer facade is animated with 56.7 million LEDs
The $2.3 billion, spherical event hall “The Sphere”, whose exterior facade can be animated with 56.7 million LEDs, only opened on September 29, 2023. Since then it has been the home of U2 – until Formula 1 came along.
According to Greg Maffei, CEO of rights holder Liberty Media, Formula 1 has rented “The Sphere” for the period around the first Las Vegas Grand Prix. “The race takes place around the Sphere. So we use their property,” he says. This also includes the animated exterior facade, which will feature advertising during the race weekend.
“We have that in a few [Sponsoring-]Deals built in and also sold advertising directly to parties during the race, which covers part of our costs,” says Maffei. “These costs were necessary for us because we had to be on their premises.” There will also be a by on the Sunday after the race Liberty Media organized brunch in the hall.
“We have a long-term relationship with the Sphere, and I think we will create even more programs,” says Maffei. In the future, Formula 1 wants to integrate the Sphere even more closely into the concept of the Las Vegas Grand Prix.
This year the program had to be somewhat improvised because it was not clear for a long time whether the hall could be opened in time for the race. “I think we will have a lot more to do in the next few years,” said Maffei.