NEW VENUE: FISERV FORUM, MILWAUKEE
Fiserv Forum has reinvigorated the live entertainment scene in Milwaukee one year after the Bucks’ arena opened. In one of the NBA’s smaller markets, the 17,500-seat facility with the funky roofline recently finished among the top 25 arenas in North America in tickets sold for non-Bucks events, according to Pollstar’s 2019 midyear rankings. The data shows that during the first half of this year, the building played host to eight of the top 16 grossing tours. At the old Bradley Center, many touring artists skipped Milwaukee because of the age of the building and the Bucks’ status as a tenant, which restricted their marketing efforts for special events. At Fiserv Forum, there’s momentum on the sports side as well. Playing the first season in their new digs, the Bucks made it to the NBA Eastern Conference Finals in large part because of Giannis Antetokounmpo, the league’s Most Valuable Player for the 2018-19 season. The team’s upside has spilled over to the Deer District across the street from the arena, with its bars, restaurants and future residential units.