U2 Delays Gig So Soccer Fans Can Finish Watching Match
These soccer fans were lucky this band wasn't American. I don't think many American bands would have postponed the show.
U2 is a band that not only loves their fans, they also love soccer. And when the band was set to perform in Argentina and they knew the country's soccer team was still playing a World Cup qualifier match about the same time their show was set to start they helped their fans out. They're one of the biggest bands in the world, but they also know that soccer is THE biggest sport in the world. U2 is on the South American leg of their Joshua Treat tour and decided to delay the start of the Buenos Aires concert nearly two hours so fans could finish watching Argentina’s World Cup qualifying match against Ecuador. The stadium the band was performing at even had four giant screens showing the game before the concert so fans at the show already could watch the match and then right afterwards watch the Irish rock legends perform.
Daniel Grinbank, the show's producer told Argentinian paper La Nacion:
"Can you imagine what the show’s going to be like if Argentina wins? And if we lose, at least we can get rid of the bitterness with a great show. You can’t go wrong.”
Lucky for the band and Argentinian soccer fans, Argentina ended up winning 3-1. What a great night for fans in Buenos Aires.