The Las Vegas Sphere was supposed to be the future of live entertainment. But just over a year into its run, New York Post writer Josh Kosman explains why the math ain’t mathin’. This episode was produced by Amanda Lewellyn, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Andrea Kristinsdottir and Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast Support Today, Explained by becoming a Vox Member today: http://www.vox.com/members The realistic eyeball that kept watch over Las Vegas was one of Sphere's early breakout hits. Photo by K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal/Tribune News Service via Getty Images. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The first thing you need to know about the Sphere in Las Vegas is don't call it that.
It's Sphere, not the Sphere.
Lose the the.
But everyone calls it the Sphere, so we will too.
The Sphere opened just over a year ago.
They said it would be the future of entertainment.
And some people go and really do feel that way.
But others, including those of us at Today Explained, are wondering if this whole operation is sustainable.
So on the show today, we're going to look back at one year of the Sphere.
From Bono to Phish to Dead and Co to the Eagles, to that documentary that Darren Aronofsky made, to the upcoming EDM New Year's Eve rave that they're throwing.
And we're going to ask whether this really could be the future of fun.
Or maybe it's just another Las Vegas bust.
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