The KFC Yum! Center is a multi-purpose sports arena located in downtown Louisville, Kentucky. It opened in 2010 and has a seating capacity that varies depending on the event configuration. For concerts, the KFC Yum! Center can accommodate around 18,000 to 22,500 people.
Quick Answer
The seating capacity of the KFC Yum! Center for concerts ranges from approximately 18,000 seats to 22,500 seats depending on the stage setup and configuration.
Detailed Answer
The KFC Yum! Center was designed as a multi-purpose arena to host various types of events including basketball games, hockey games, concerts, family shows, and more. To accommodate different types of events, the seating capacity needs to be flexible.
For basketball games, which is the main tenant event, the KFC Yum! Center has a standard seating capacity of 22,090. When configured for hockey games, the capacity is around 17,000 seats. But for concerts, the capacity can vary more significantly based on the stage location and setup.
According to officials from the KFC Yum! Center, the seating capacity for concerts can range from 18,000 seats up to 22,500 seats. Here are some of the factors that affect the concert seating capacity:
- Stage Location – If the stage is located on one end of the arena, this allows for more seats to be set up on the floor.
- In-the-Round Configurations – Some concerts are set up with the stage in the middle and seats all around. This provides more seating than a standard end-stage setup.
- Floor Seating – The number of floor seats can vary greatly depending on the stage size and setup. More floor seating means higher capacity.
- Lower and Upper Bowl Seating – Even when the floor seating changes, the permanent lower and upper bowl seating still remains, which provides a baseline capacity.
To illustrate this flexibility, here are some examples of past concert configurations and their seating capacities at the KFC Yum! Center:
Concert Seating Capacity Examples
Artist | Stage Setup | Seating Capacity |
---|---|---|
Red Hot Chili Peppers | End stage | 18,400 seats |
Roger Waters | In-the-round | 22,000 seats |
Carrie Underwood | End stage | 19,100 seats |
Eric Church | End stage | 20,400 seats |
As you can see, the end stage configurations have lower capacities around 18,000-20,000 seats, while the in-the-round setup for Roger Waters allowed for around 22,000 seats. The KFC Yum! Center’s website lists the concert seating capacity as ranging anywhere from 18,000 to 22,500 seats.
What Affects the Number of Seats?
There are a few key factors that determine how many seats can be set up inside the KFC Yum! Center for any given concert:
Stage Size and Location
As mentioned already, the stage setup has a big impact on capacity. Larger stages take up more floor space, allowing for fewer floor seats. Stages located on one end keep the rest of the floor open for seating, while in-the-round stages with the stage in the middle have less floor seating.
Standing Room Only Tickets
Many concerts sell general admission or “standing room only” tickets, especially for the floor area near the stage. By removing chairs on the floor, standing room tickets allow for more people albeit with less personal space.
Reduced Upper Bowl Seating
Depending on the expected demand, upper bowl seating may be reduced by closing off the highest rows. This is done to create a more intimate feel when concerts don’t expect to sell out the full arena capacity.
Luxury Suites and Box Seats
The KFC Yum! Center has 70 luxury suites and 2,800 club seats. Concert promoters can choose to sell these high-end spaces or keep them unavailable. Leaving them empty reduces capacity.
Configuration Changes
Different shows may call for changes like moving or removing bleachers to make room for sound and lighting rigs. Electrical needs and equipment cabling also require aisles and walkways in the seating plan.
Typical Concert Setups
Although every concert has its own unique staging and seats, there are some typical configurations used at the KFC Yum! Center:
Standard End-Stage
The performer is on a stage located at one end of the arena, with the majority of seating spread across the rest of the floor and lower and upper bowls behind the stage. This allows for good capacity of around 18,000-20,000.
In-the-Round
Circular or square stages place the performer in the center with seating all around the perimeter. Fewer floor seats but added seats in other zones allow for up to 22,000 capacity.
Extended Stage in Front of Followers-Only End Stage
A long catwalk or T-shaped stage juts out into the floor seating, offering fans a surrounding feel while keeping seats behind the performer stage. Capacity is around 20,000.
Half-House Configuration
Only one side of the bowl seating is used behind an end-stage, cutting capacity nearly in half. This might be around 10,000 seats and used for more intimate shows.
How Concerts Maximize Attendance
Concert promoters use a few key strategies to make sure they can fit in as many fans as possible:
- Sell general admission/standing room floor tickets – This densifies the space down on the floor.
- Use minimal stage elements – A stripped down stage takes up less room.
- Add extended catwalks and T-shaped stages – Brings the performer closer to more fans.
- In-the-round setups – Puts seats all around the performer without massive empty space.
- Open up obstructed view areas – Seats behind equipment are sold at discount.
Additionally, concerts may opt to sell seats on the stage itself behind the performers. Side-stage seating can accommodate a couple hundred extra fans willing to pay for the unique vantage point.
Arena Conversions
Because the KFC Yum! Center hosts so many different types of events, conversions are a major operation between events. Here is an overview of what goes into transforming the arena for a concert:
- Floor protection – Heavy duty plastic shields placed over basketball court.
- Stage assembly – Sections trucked in and assembled; lighting/sound rigs installed.
- Floor seating – Chairs removed and stored for standing room area.
- Bleachers retracted – Open up floor for stage expansion and equipment.
- Arena access – Doors, aisles and corridors cleared for concert traffic flow.
- Suite buildouts – Hospitality areas furnished; catering facilities prepped.
The entire process takes 8-12 hours typically and needs to happen in the small window between events. The venue has a special operations team dedicated to these intensive arena conversions.
Notable KFC Yum! Center Concerts
Since opening in 2010, the KFC Yum! Center has hosted some huge names in music. Here are some of the most popular concerts held at the venue:
Paul McCartney
In 2013, music legend Paul McCartney played the Yum! Center on his “Out There” tour. Nearly 20,000 fans packed the arena for the historic show by the Beatles icon.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
The Red Hot Chili Peppers brought their signature funk-rock sound to the Yum! Center in 2012 and 2017, thrilling crowds both times. Their 2012 show was seen by 18,400 fans.
U2
One of the greatest rock bands ever brought their massive “Joshua Tree Tour 2019” to the Yum! Center, playing to an energetic crowd of over 19,000.
Luke Bryan
Country superstar Luke Bryan has played the arena twice so far, selling out both shows in 2013 and 2018. Over 18,000 cheering fans packed the Yum! Center each night.
Miley Cyrus
Pop sensation Miley Cyrus chose the Yum! Center to kick off her 2014 “Bangerz” tour, blowing the roof off for a boisterous crowd of 16,000 fans.
Major Concerts Coming Up
There are some exciting concerts already on the calendar for the KFC Yum! Center in the coming months:
- Motley Crue with Def Leppard – July 14, 2022
- The Weeknd – August 12, 2022
- Swedish House Mafia – September 17, 2022
- Scorpions – October 8, 2022
- Chris Stapleton – October 20, 2022
Music fans can expect great shows and packed houses at these upcoming hot-ticket concert events.
Comparison to Other Major Venues
Compared to other major arenas in the region, the KFC Yum! Center has a concert seating capacity on par with most similarly sized venues:
Arena | City | Concert Capacity |
---|---|---|
KFC Yum! Center | Louisville, KY | 18,000 – 22,500 |
Bankers Life Fieldhouse | Indianapolis, IN | 18,000 |
Bridgestone Arena | Nashville, TN | 20,000 |
PPG Paints Arena | Pittsburgh, PA | 19,758 |
As you can see, the top capacity of over 22,000 makes the KFC Yum! Center one of the largest venues for concerts in the region. It has the flexibility to accommodate arena tours of varying sizes.
Future Expansion
While there are no specific plans in place currently, the KFC Yum! Center was designed so that additional seating could be added in the future if needed.
Constructing a new upper deck on the end facing the Ohio River is one possibility that could add over 3,000 seats. However, that addition is likely dependent on long-term demand and the costs involved.
In the short term, renovations and upgrades to improve the fan experience and add premium hospitality spaces may be higher priorities for arena management. But the potential remains to take the concert seating capacity above 22,500 if warranted.
Conclusion
With a maximum capacity over 22,000 and flexibility to configure lower for more intimate shows, the KFC Yum! Center stands as one of the premier arenas for concerts not just in Kentucky but the entire region. The combination of homegrown energy and professional operations makes it a favorite tour stop for artists of all genres. Music fans can continue looking forward to seeing the biggest names in the business under the lights in downtown Louisville.