Matt Rife has returned to the top of Billboard’s monthly comedy Boxscore rankings, posting the biggest touring comedy total for March after a strong run of arena and theater dates. His seven shows generated $8.3 million and sold 93,300 tickets, putting him ahead of the rest of the field in a month when comedy acts kept packing venues across multiple markets.
The result marks a comeback for Rife, who last led the list in June 2025. Billboard’s Boxscore data shows that the March tally came from the early stretch of the Stay Golden Tour, with the comic moving back into the United States after overseas dates in Australia and New Zealand.
Rife’s March run powered by major venues
Rife’s biggest reported dates in the month included shows at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., on Feb. 28 and Benchmark International Arena in Tampa on March 13. Each of those concerts grossed more than $1.6 million, underscoring how strongly the tour performed in larger arena settings.
That momentum helped Rife outrun a competitive top five that also featured several of comedy’s most active touring names. The March Boxscore numbers show how live comedy continues to scale beyond clubs, with comedians drawing large audiences in theaters and arenas just as often as music headliners do.
The rest of March’s top-grossing comedy acts
Nate Bargatze finished second on the monthly comedy list with $4.6 million from eight shows and 56,900 tickets. Bert Kreischer followed with $3.7 million, 54,600 tickets and 13 shows, while John Mulaney brought in $3.1 million across 14 performances.
Greg Davies rounded out the top five with $2.5 million from seven shows and 37,700 tickets. The spread among the leaders shows how volume and venue size both shaped March’s results, with Rife taking the top spot on the strength of both strong grosses and high attendance.
March comedy Boxscore leaders, by the numbers
| Artist | Gross | Tickets | Shows |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matt Rife | $8.3M | 93,300 | 7 |
| Nate Bargatze | $4.6M | 56,900 | 8 |
| Bert Kreischer | $3.7M | 54,600 | 13 |
| John Mulaney | $3.1M | 31,300 | 14 |
| Greg Davies | $2.5M | 37,700 | 7 |
Billboard notes that Boxscore charts are based on figures reported to Billboard Boxscore, and international grosses are converted to USD. That framework helps place Rife’s March performance in a wider touring market where comedy has continued to deliver large ticket totals alongside the biggest names in music.
Read more at: www.billboard.com
