Bieber's April 14 concert at Hayarkon Park in Tel Aviv drew somewhere between 17,000 (according police) and 24,000 fans (according to the promoters) -- well below forecasts in the 35,000 range. The Jerusalem Post's review split the difference, putting the number at 21,000. By contrast, Madonna's 2009 show at the same venue pulled in 56,000 people.
"They overpaid and did not market it right," says Israeli promoter Shuki Weiss, who declined to bid on Bieber believing it would be a difficult sell. "I think it's important for every artist to come to Israel, but you need to know your crowd."
Indeed, posters advertising the show were scant in the city, with the exception of areas surrounding Bieber's hotel, and with ticket sales initially sluggish, a promotion offering free entry to parents was introduced, causing its share of headaches at the park's gates.
For his part the show's promoter, Gadi Oron, said "(Sales) definitely met our expectations." He declined to comment on Bieber's reported payday: "It is our policy not to talk about financial arrangements we reach with talent we promote."
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