Barclays ranks #31 worldwide in mid-year (non-sports) ticket sales, per Pollstar; arena last year leaped to top ten in second half, has always been in top ten

The Barclays Center sold slightly more concerts and show tickets in the first half of 2019 compared to the first half of 2018, according to the trade publication Pollstar. Still, it ranks #31 on the worldwide chart, as opposed to #20 after the half-year mark last year.

That said, the arena typically increases ticket sales in the second half of the year. In 2018, Barclays went from #20 (274,866 tickets) to a year-end #8 (816,980 tickets), which was the lowest annual rank since the arena opened. The current mid-year rank is based on 279,579 ticket sales.

The 2017 mid-year figure was 376,230 tickets, #9 in the world, and the arena reached #5 by the end of the year.

The totals exclude sporting events. Given that Barclays will be housing fewer Islanders games than last year, that should open seven more slots for other shows.

An early peak, then a rebound?

Note that the total of 816,980 tickets sold in 2018 was less than 991,752 in 2013, its first full year, when Barclays was ranked #3 worldwide, and 936,794 in 2017, when Barclays was ranked #5. That said, it was more than in the years 2014-2016.

This year, in what seems to a first, Pollstar is also including gross ticket revenues. (See final screenshot.) Barclays' gross is well above that of several U.S. venues that have sold more tickets. That said, Barclays' costs are probably higher as well, so the key comparison might be net revenue, which is not disclosed.

2013: 991,752, annual rank #3