SaskTel Centre manager optimistic about Eric Church concert this fall

It has been almost 14 months since SaskTel Centre last hosted a concert with fans.

The first glimmer that the return to normal is around the corner for the Saskatoon arena came Wednesday morning.

Country singer Eric Church announced “The Gather Again Tour” will kick off in September and visit 55 cities throughout the U.S. and Canada, including Saskatoon on Oct. 23.

“For us, it’s exciting news,” said SaskTel Centre executive director Scott Ford. “This is actually the first concert that has been announced in the building since the pandemic.”

Ford said the plan is to sell the concert at 100 per cent capacity.

Current public health orders limit large gatherings, but Ford is optimistic that will soon change.

“I think the timing is good. When you look at the national projections on when everyone in Canada that wants a vaccine should be vaccinated by, there’s a good chance everything will be opening up,” Ford said.

“(Church) is a huge supporter of the fans and the public actually getting vaccinated. His team is tracking how the vaccination progress is happening.”

The last live concert with fans in SaskTel Centre was on Feb. 14, 2020. Since the arena went dark due to COVID-19, Ford said revenues have plummeted more than $3 million.

While Church is the first concert to be announced at SaskTel Centre during the pandemic, three previously scheduled shows are still on the books for this summer, including Celine Dion and the Courage World Tour on Aug. 18.

Ticket information for the Church concert will be announced soon.