Eclectic entertainers: How wide variety of acts plays part in success of Prudential Center

On June 23, Korean pop star Baekhyun will make his only appearance in the area — and one of only six U.S. stops on his world tour — at the Prudential Center in Newark.

On July 30-31, Korean pop star Jin — a former member of BTS, arguably the most famous boy band in history — will play two nights at the Pru Center, one of only four U.S. stops on his world tour.

On Aug. 5, Japanese singing star Ado will make her only area appearance.

And on Aug. 22, K-pop star G-Dragon will make his only area appearance (and one of just three in the U.S.) at the Prudential Center.

None of these tour stops is surprising.

The Prudential Center in Newark has long established itself as a venue that hosts the most diverse acts anywhere. It has been a must-play for hip-hop/R&B entertainers and Latin acts for years, and it increasingly is picking up shows from artists from all over the world.

In addition to entertainers from Korea and Japan, the Pru Center has become an attraction for South Asian stars, too. Karan Aujla will make his only area stop July 18 in Newark. A.R. Rahman will do the same Aug. 16.

Don’t be confused. Mainstream acts still have a big presence at the Pru Center — Rahman’s show is bookended by Katy Perry (Aug. 14) and The Who (Aug 19) — but the ability to diversify its lineup is a key reason why Prudential Center has become one of the most successful venues in the world.

Sean Saadeh, the chief programming officer and head of entertainment for Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, said landing these top acts is not happenstance.

“We made a conscious choice several years ago to adopt a strategy of diversifying our programming and really built on it every year,” he told BINJE. “I give a lot of credit to Tyler Bates, who runs the day-to-day booking at Prudential Center, for identifying what resonates in our community — and what’s going to resonate with our fans.”

The Prudential Center, like most arenas, certainly benefited from a post-pandemic push by artists to get back out there — and fans to see shows.

But, while that urge — on both ends — has dropped, the Prudential Center continues to surge.

Saadeh credits the arena’s push to support promoters of diverse acts.

“We started building this out way in advance of COVID,” he said. “We were setting down roots, building relationships with promoters, making this a great experience for the fan base that comes out. In return, acts have been very loyal to Prudential Center.”

It’s a win-win.

“Ticket sales are through the roof,” he said. “Latin artists look at this as a must-play. As do K-pop stars. I think it’s a testament to the fan base being loyal and supporting these shows year after year.”

Of course, Saadeh and his team always are looking for more acts from more locations.

The number of South Asian performers is on the rise, he said.

“We’re selling those out as well,” he said.

Then there are comedy and country.

Comedy acts, which never played arenas before, are growing in number. As are country acts, proving their success as outdoor summer acts can transfer inside all year long. In fact, Zach Bryan’s two shows in March were the two highest-attended concerts in the arena’s history.

The diversity at the Prudential Center is quite impressive.

From July 2023 to June 2024, the Prudential Center hosted 165 events (a record for a 12-month period at the venue), including over 65 concerts, 35 family shows and 15 non-hockey sporting events (think UFC and wrestling).

The effort has paid off.

The venue had 38 sellouts (another 12-month record) while selling more than 1 million tickets.

Want more diversity? Consider this: Prudential Center has brought in acts from over 18 different genres since 2022, making the venue one of the most musically varied in the country.

Saadeh is grateful for the hard work of his team, but he said the fans deserve the ultimate salute.

“Our success is a testament to a fan base that continues to come out and support these shows,” he said. “New Jersey has great fans: That’s the message. They really support all of our shows, which enables us to build out different genres.”  

For information about the Prudential Center, go to prucenter.com.