Advertisement
Beyoncé’s blockbuster Cowboy Carter tour has hit a legal bump—this time not because of her vocals or showmanship, but because of the visuals.
According to Billboard, the company behind Las Vegas’ high-tech venue The Sphere, Sphere Entertainment Co., has sent a cease-and-desist notice to Beyoncé and her team. In simple terms, they’re demanding she stop using a specific video segment in her show, claiming it violates their legal rights.
The dispute centers around a flashy concert interlude in which a CGI version of The Sphere appears on screen. In the video, Beyoncé herself (in giant form, of course) walks onto the screen, picks up the animated Sphere, and playfully juggles it. The visual quickly went viral online, with fans speculating it might hint at a future Las Vegas residency.
But it turns out, the owners of the actual Sphere™ venue weren’t amused. They say Beyoncé’s team never asked for permission to use or alter the look of their iconic building, which is considered protected intellectual property. That means, legally speaking, the design and image of the Sphere are considered owned and copyrighted—just like a brand logo or a song.
In the cease-and-desist letter (think of it as a formal legal warning), Sphere Entertainment claims:
“It has recently come to SEG’s attention that a Cowboy Carter tour interlude video contains the unauthorized use of SEG’s intellectual property […] SEG was never asked, and the prominent appearance and manipulation of SEG’s Sphere™ venue in the video is unauthorized.”
They’re not just asking her to remove the segment from the live tour. The legal team wants all usage of the Sphere’s image—including any merch, ads, or future recordings—to be completely scrapped.
So far, Beyoncé’s team (her production company Parkwood Entertainment) has not issued a response. Meanwhile, her tour is still moving full speed ahead, including two upcoming shows in Las Vegas itself—though ironically, not at The Sphere, but at Allegiant Stadium on July 25 and 26.
While fans are eager to see how this unfolds, legal experts say this type of situation isn’t uncommon in the entertainment world, especially when real-world landmarks are used in media without official clearance.
Whether the video gets pulled or Beyoncé’s team works out a behind-the-scenes agreement remains to be seen. But one thing’s for sure: even The Sphere isn’t immune to Queen Bey’s gravitational pull—both on stage and in court.