Springsteen, Bon Jovi and Chesney vie for top tour (Reuters)

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - "Glory Days" are here again for Bruce Springsteen, whose upcoming tour could make him the biggest touring artist of the year in North America.

Springsteen and his E Street Band, who kick off the second leg of their North American tour in New Jersey on Sunday, will vie for the crown with fellow Garden State rockers Bon Jovi and country singer Kenny Chesney, according to Pollstar magazine.

Each artist should end the year with ticket sales of about 70 million, said Gary Bongiovanni, the editor of the Fresno, Calif.-based trade publication.

Thats a modest sum by past standards. The Police were tops last year with 132 million, while the Rolling Stones led the field in 2006 with 138.5 million and in 2005 with a record 162 million. Springsteen won the 2003 derby with 116 million.

The last time a years top touring act earned less than 70 million was in 1999 when the Rolling Stones grossed 65 million from a relatively brief arena tour.

"The economys got to be affecting everything," Bongiovanni said in an interview.

The credit crunch and higher fuel prices are keeping fans at home. Concert promoters have responded by cutting prices of their cheap seats, while many rockers are seeking economies of scale by playing bigger markets.

At the half-year mark, Bon Jovi led with 56.3 million, followed by Springsteen with 40.8 million, Van Halen with 36.8 million, and Chesney with 35.3 million, Pollstar said.

Springsteens tour begins with three dates at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. The last time he played the football field, five years ago, he grossed 39 million from 10 concerts. His top ticket price is now about 20 percent higher at 95. The quick monthlong jaunt, a follow-up to a two-month arena trek earlier this year, sticks largely on the eastern United States. Last year, he grossed 38 million in North America, No. 14 on Pollstars list.

Pollstar is still crunching data for Bon Jovis tour, which finished earlier this month with a pair of shows at New Yorks Madison Square Garden. Chesney -- the No. 2 act last year with 71 million-- is on the road through August 23. Van Halen, whose 2007 tour ranked No. 5 with 57 million, wrapped their trek in early June.

Reuters