The Irish band just signed a 12-year exclusive deal with concert promoter Live Nation.
Live Nation will produce Bono’s concerts, manufacture and sell their merchandise, license the band’s image AND run the U2 website and online fan club. Madonna’s big Live Nation deal included all the stuff U2 agreed to PLUS distribution of recorded music and music publishing.
Based on the Madonna deal, it is estimated that U2 stands to make about $70 million.
U2’s most recent tour was the second-highest-grossing concert tour in history, earning $389.4 million at the box office.