'70s Pop Group ABBA Refuses 1 Billion Dollar Reuinon Offer (Yes, with a 'B...')

FARK News Tip Service VIA CNN International ^ | April 13, 2002 | Showbuzz Column Staff

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Members of the '70's Swedish Band Abba say they won't get back together--not even for 1 Billion dollars.

An American-British consortium offered them that amount to reunite for 100 concerts, but they refused.

'It is a hell of a lot of money to say no to, but we decided it wasn't for us.' Benny Andersson tells the Swedish tabloid Aftenbladet.

ABBA disbanded 17 years ago, but their hit songs are curently experiencing an international revival.

Part of the credit goes to the teen group A-Teens, whose covers of 'Gimme, Gimme, Gimme and 'Mamma Mia' have risen up the charts.

And the musical 'Mamma Mia,' based on ABBA songs, has become a hit in London --sending sales of the album 'ABBA Gold' soaring.

[Phantom Lord]

When I was in Edinburgh Scotland last August Fringe Fest was going on. And all up and down the Royal Mile the DJs were blasting ABBA. Drove me f**king crazy.

I hate ABBA!

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If you liked ABBA you'll love their teenage cover band A-Teens...

[humbletheFiend]

If it sounds to good to be true, . . .

Doesn't this whole thing sound like a set-up to you?

[avg_freeper]

Oh come on ABBA!

Why don't you just take a chance
take a chance
take a chance
take a chance
take a chance
take a chance

My personal theory is that some group of people with better since offered them two billion to not get back together.

[avg_freeper]

since => sense

[philosofy123]

The Antichrist is in everything you guys see?

[codebreaker]

I looked it up on Google, their taxes would be 65% of earnings!!

1 Billion divided by 4 members 250 million...still a 110 million take per person, almost a million per person per concert minus tour costs.

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Wonder what the ticket priced would be for this show..

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The guy looks like he has a Burger King crown on!!

[jz638]

Someone is banking on something other than ticket sales, the math is damned near impossible. If you had 100 concerts each with 100,000 screaming Abba fans all paying $100 per ticket, you could cover the costs to the band. Of course that $100 doesn't cover ticketmaster's service charge, rental and transportation costs, etc. I just don't see how it adds up, much less turns a profit.

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Do the Hustle!

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Are they selling merchandise to cover the ticket losses?

[general_re]

Assuming (generously, IMO) that they can fill 50,000 seat stadiums for all 100 concerts, then they will sell 5,000,000 tickets. That means a ticket price of at least $200 per seat, and that's just to cover the $1 billion for the band. Throw in the expenses of the roadies, equipment, transportation, Ticketmaster fees, and the final answer is, ummm...yeah - f*** that. Ain't worth it ;)

[RightWhale]

100 concerts would be what, a year or two of work?

Some of them don't get along with some of the others. It's impossible.

[SuziQ]

So does this mean that Muriel's wedding is off?

LOL! I love that movie!!

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