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Kanye West's Tampa stadium concerts leave the local sports authority in profit

The two nights drew more than 119,000 fans combined despite a push from a state senator to cancel them.

Kanye West

Kanye West sings into a handheld microphone on stage in profile, bathed in blue stage lighting and wearing a gray hoodie.
West performing at The Museum of Modern Art's Party in the Garden benefit in New York City in May 2011. Photo: Jason Persse, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Kanye West's two hip-hop concerts at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa brought the Tampa Sports Authority a combined $3.44 million, more than the $2 million it had projected, according to a report by The Porterville Recorder cited by HotNewHipHop. The two nights drew 63,200 and 56,000 fans.

The shows went ahead over objections from Florida state senator Rick Scott, who asked, "Why on Earth would we use tax dollars to fund someone who has called himself a Nazi and praised Adolf Hitler?"

West's contract with the Tampa Sports Authority included a clause barring cancellation based on "artist identity, prior or past public statements, public perception, political viewpoints, or the anticipated or actual content of the performance," and the shows proceeded as scheduled despite the political pressure.

West has continued touring internationally through 2026 despite the recurring backlash to his past comments, and HotNewHipHop said questions remain about whether he has properly addressed them even as the Tampa dates delivered a clear financial win for the venue. A separate lawsuit this month alleged AI was used on two of his albums.

The facts

  • Two Kanye West shows at Raymond James Stadium brought the Tampa Sports Authority $3.44 million
  • That beat the authority's own $2 million estimate
  • The two nights drew 63,200 and 56,000 fans
  • Florida senator Rick Scott had objected to the shows over West's past comments
  • West's contract barred cancellation over his public statements or perception

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