EAST RUTHERFORD — Even when Giants and Jets fans aren't packing the seats for football, MetLife Stadium is still raking in the big bucks. New Jersey's largest seated event center was today named the highest-grossing stadium in the world, according to an annual list released by Billboard. The ranking takes into account non-NFL events, which for MetLife meant music concerts, international soccer matches and college and high school football between November 2013 and 2014. Super Bowl XLVIII, hosted by MetLife on Feb. 2 was not factored into the totals. The 82,500-seat stadium grossed more than $71 million in that time period, enough to top Billboard list for the fourth time in the last five years. Rounding out the top five were the Tokyo Dome in Japan; Etihad Stadium in Melbourne, Australia; Gillete Stadium in Foxboro, Mass.; and AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. MetLife hosted 22 non-NFL events in the time period — more than double all other venues in the top 10 minus Foro Sol in Mexico City — including back-to-back concerts from boy band phenoms One Direction, Billboard's top-grossing tour in 2014. Jay-Z and Beyonce's On The Run tour and Eminem and Rihanna's Monster tour also filled the Meadowlands this past summer. Top sporting events included a Portugal vs. Ireland soccer match featuring world soccer superstar Cristiano Ronaldo just before the World Cup. More mega-concerts are on the way for MetLife in 2015, including tour stops from pop giant Taylor Swift and country favorites Kenny Chesney, Jason Aldean and Brantley Gilbert. More shows are likely to be announced in the coming months. Bobby Olivier may be reached at bolivier@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @BobbyOlivier. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Is this topic better suited here or on Around the NFL ?
