Trump and Bill O'Reilly struggled with poor turnout at tour debut, with upper-deck ticket holders 'upgraded' to fill lower bowl of 'cavernous' Florida Panthers arena, report says
- Trump and Bill O'Reilly's "History Tour" began with a spotty crowd in Florida on Saturday night.
- Enough seats were empty that people in the upper decks were reportedly upgraded to lower bowl seats.
Former President Donald Trump and the ex-Fox News host Bill O'Reilly's "History Tour" got off to a lackluster start in Florida on Saturday night, according to local reports.
Politico reported in July that the duo's ticket sales were moving slowly despite their booking major sports arenas. On Saturday, the South Florida Sun Sentinel reported that low attendance had forced some late changes at the tour's debut at the FLA Live Arena in Sunrise, a city in Broward County about an hour north of Miami.
"Many seats remained empty in the cavernous arena," the report said. "The top level was closed and ticket buyers were 'upgraded' to the lower bowl."
Insider's Eliza Relman reported in June that "VIP Meet & Greet" tickets for the tour were $7,500, while the least expensive ticket was $106.
Trump on Saturday said there was "love in the air" during the insurrection at the US Capitol on January 6, according to the Sun Sentinel.
At another point, he complimented former President Barack Obama, calling him "smart and sharp," according to the Sun Sentinel. The report also said the crowd broke into a chant of "Let's go, Brandon" to mock President Joe Biden.
People on social media said that Trump and O'Reilly took a 20-minute break in the middle of the 90-minute show at the arena, home to the NHL's Florida Panthers, and that the event began an hour later than scheduled.
They took a similar pause at Sunday night's show in Orlando at the Amway Center, home to the NBA's Orlando Magic. Crowds had lined up early for that show, but some attendees trickled out early during the break, Fox 35 Orlando reported.
Trump's post-presidency office did not return Insider's request for comment.