Pop majesty Madonna is extending her upcoming reign in South America. The singer was initially scheduled to play eight stadium concerts in South America: four in Brazil and two each in Argentina and Chile. Now she has booked 11 stadium concerts in South America: five in Brazil, four in Argentina and two in Chile. Potentially more than 280,000 fans can see Madonna in Buenos Aires.

Until tickets went through the roof in South America, the most Madonna had been booked into a stadium on the Sticky & Sweet Tour was two nights. The concert market in “South America exploded in a fiery insanity,” Live Nation Artists CEO of Global Touring and Chairman of Global Music Arthur Fogel told TicketNews.

Madonna’s world tour, which had been capped at 55 concerts, now totals 58 shows, which seems to be the final number. The tour will top two million concertgoers and gross around $276 million, making it the sixth biggest grossing tour of all time and with the smallest amount of shows.

Only the Rolling Stones, U2 and The Police have grossed more on a single tour but with far more concerts:

• 144 shows: The Rolling Stones, Bigger Bang Tour (2005/07) – $558 million.

• 133 shows: U2, Vertigo Tour (2008/06) – $389 million.

• 151 shows: The Police, Reunion tour (2007/08) – $350 million.

• 128 shows: The Rolling Stones, Voodoo Lounge tour (1994/95) – 320 million.

• 121 shows: The Rolling Stones, Licks tour (2002/03) – $312 million.

• 17 shows: Madonna, Sticky & Sweet Tour European Leg (2008) – $117 million.

• 58 shows: Madonna, Sticky & Sweet Tour – entire run – est. (2008) – $276 million.

Madonna just wrapped one of the most successful runs in European concert history with 17 concerts in 16 cities, Paris, FRA, was the only city hosting multiple nights, grossing $17.6 million. The largest single-night gross was $11.8 million in London; the lowest was $3.5 million in Budva. All but one show was reported a sellout by Live Nation to the trades: Sevilla, SPA, sold 80.5 percent of the house.

“Now that I’ve warmed up in Europe, I’m ready to come home and do the show for my U.S. fans,” Madonna said in a statement.

The Sticky & Sweet tour started its North American run on October 4 in East Rutherford, NJ, and continues through November 26 in Miami, FL, for a total of 28 shows in 18 cities with five in the New York metropolitan area, including four at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The tour then heads to Mexico City, MEX, for two shows where 100,000 tickets sold out in three hours.

From TicketNews.com. Thanks to Lori.