Legacy Arena at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex ranked among the 52 top arenas in the world in Pollstar’s 2024 Mid-Year Ranking by gross ticket sales, thanks to top-selling acts such as singer Zach Bryan and comedian Nate Bargatze.

The top-grossing arena list is led by Sphere in Las Vegas, Madison Square Garden in New York, Barclays Center in Brooklyn, T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Moody Center in Austin, Texas and Kia Forum in Inglewood, California.

“Growing up in the South, we have a slower pace,” Bargatze is known for saying. “I just naturally talk slower. Even when I think I’m talking fast, no one ever goes, ‘Man, you were flying!’”

But nobody can accuse Birmingham of being slow in concert ticket sales.

Legacy Arena ranks as number 52 worldwide for tickets sold and number 55 among top-grossing arenas worldwide, while the BJCC Concert Hall ranked number 46 worldwide for tickets sold and number 70 in global gross revenue.

That includes venues worldwide, and incidentally, Birmingham, England, has two venues, Resorts World Arena and Utilita Arena Birmingham, that compete with Birmingham, Alabama in these rankings.

“This recognition is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team in bringing world-class entertainment to Birmingham,” BJCC CEO Tad Snider said. “We take pride in our collective efforts to bring top quality entertainment to the market and boost tourism related revenue for the city of Birmingham.”

Of the Top 100 North American Tours ranked by gross revenue, the BJCC has hosted or will host 24 of them between last fall and the end of this year. Nicki Minaj, ranked at number six, is scheduled to play Legacy Arena on Sept. 15.

Bryan, who played Legacy Arena on March 22-23, is ranked number 9 and Bargatze, who performed at Legacy Arena on May 11, is number 10. The rock group Tool, which played Legacy Arena on Jan. 20, is ranked number 21.

“We are thrilled to provide our community with such a diverse range of entertainment options and look forward to continuing to bring the best in live music, comedy, and more to Birmingham,” said Snider. “Thank you to all of our concert goers and supporters for helping the BJCC achieve this incredible milestone.”

The BJCC complex includes Protective Stadium, which hosted more than 50,000 fans at a Garth Brooks concert on June 4, 2022.

The BJCC will soon add the new 9,380-seat Birmingham Amphitheater, set to open and replace Oak Mountain Amphitheatre in Pelham in summer of 2025.