U2 concert to rock TCF Bank Stadium

The highly acclaimed rock band U2 is the first band to announce a concert at TCF Bank Stadium, scheduled for Sunday, June 27, 2010.

The announcement Monday confirmed recent rumors that the Irish rock band would be adding a 2010 date in Stadium Village.

Season ticket holders to University of Minnesota athletic events will be able to purchase tickets in an Internet presale beginning at 10 a.m. Tuesday. The presale opens to University students at noon and will last through Thursday.

Tickets will be available to the general public Saturday.

According to the University’s Web site, 10,000 tickets will be made available to students during the presale through Ticketmaster.

Each student is able to purchase up to two tickets using his or her student ID number.

Tickets are priced between $30 and $250.

On the European leg of last year’s tour, U2 guaranteed that at least 10,000 tickets at each venue would be sold at the lowest price range.

TCF Bank Stadium seats approximately 50,800 people at football games, and Associate Athletics Director Phil Esten said the capacity for concerts is expected to be around 58,000, roughly 8,000 of which will be general admission tickets on the field.

In order to prepare the field for 8,000 sets of dancing feet, a field cover system will be used to both protect the field and create a sturdier surface for concert goers.

TCF Bank Stadium does not sell alcohol at football games, and Esten said the University will not be considering making exceptions for other events like concerts.

Esten declined to comment on how much revenue the concert could generate for the University.

“The reason that we’re doing this concert and we’re excited about the concert has nothing to do with revenue,” he said. “It has to do with exposure and an opportunity for students to get to some other events in the stadium besides just football and bringing events like this not just to the campus community but the Twin Cities community.”

The band’s 2010 tour kicks off June 6 in Anaheim, Calif., for 13 dates in the United States and Canada before heading to Europe for the second leg of the tour.