Beyonce’s “Cowboy Carter” Tour Sparks Sphere Copyright Dispute

Beyonce’s anticipated Las Vegas residency appears increasingly unlikely after venue owners served the superstar with a cease-and-desist over controversial tour footage. The disputed CGI sequence debuted on April 28^th during her “Cowboy Carter” tour launch in Los Angeles. It depicts a skyscraper-sized Beyonce plucking and casually juggling a miniature Sphere from the Strip. The clip is an apparent homage to the 1958 classic “Attack of the 50-foot Woman.”

Sphere Entertainment Co. claims the footage constitutes unauthorized intellectual property use. It also sparked significant residency speculation, according to the New York Post. Many who saw the clip took it as confirmation that the 43-year-old icon would end her tour with a Sphere residency this summer. However, that doesn’t seem to be In the works.

Sphere Legal Demands

In the cease-and-desist letter, Sphere Entertainment Group (SEG) has formally demanded Beyonce’s team remove the contentious tour visuals by Monday, May 5^th. Authored by Sphere CEO James Dolan’s legal team, the letter is addressed to Parkwood Entertainment. The document asserts the “Cowboy Carter” interlude video constitutes “impermissible use and violation” of SEG’s intellectual property despite apparent clearances for other branded content in the production.

The Filing Fine Print

“SEG is sure multiple aspects of the interlude video, including other brands, clips, and music, were duly cleared by the tour with rights permissions from the right holders whose works were used in the video, as is common practice,” the filing stated, highlighting the stark contrast of Sphere being excluded from negotiations. The legal representatives emphasized the sensitivity of the clip’s timing, sparking residency claims.

Failed Residency Negotiations

There have been prior negotiations between Beyonce and SEG for a Sphere residency, but they collapsed months before the current legal clash. The parties explored a deal from 2023 to June 2024. A collaboration was seemingly teased by the singer’s 2024 Verizon Super Bowl ad featuring Sphere-like visuals.

Talks reportedly stalled over the “Crazy in Love” singer’s demand for a two-week venue blackout for rehearsals. However, the request was unfulfillable, given Sphere’s financial reliance on daily screenings over shows. Sphere Experience reports that 50-54% of the property’s revenue came from Darren Aronofsky’s “Postcard from Earth” film and U2’s “V-U2” concert series. The deal breakdown allegedly pushed Beyonce to MGM Resorts with discussions of a 100-show residency.