DEF LEPPARD's RICK ALLEN Says It Was 'The Right Decision' To Postpone 'The Stadium' Tour Until 2022

DEF LEPPARD drummer Rick Allen spoke to SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" about the postponement of the band's "The Stadium Tour" with MÖTLEY CRÜE, POISON and JOAN JETT & THE BLACKHEARTS. The trek, which was originally planned for 2020 and later moved to 2021, will now take place in 2022.

"I knew that [another postponement] was a possibility, but that news couldn't come from me," Rick said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "I think whether it's sports, whether it's music, whether it's theater, all of the promoters, it was their call. I happen to think they made the right decision, because I think the primary focus has gotta be people's health and well-being. So I understand why they made that decision.

"I think if we had gone out this year, it may have been a bit more of a patchwork of a tour as opposed to being able to play the whole thing from start to finish," he added. "So, it's a bummer, but here we are.

"I kind of knew it was coming, because when I saw RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE, when I saw their tour get pushed, I was, like, 'You know what? It's a bummer, but I think we're probably gonna be next.'"

Allen went on to say that he and his DEF LEPPARD bandmates are disappointed that they won't be able to perform live again in the U.S. until next year. "We're really bummed, 'cause, obviously, we wanted to get out there," he said. "It's been a long time. And I know — our fans are so loyal. It's incredible. The fact that we got the largest vote for the [Rock And Roll] Hall Of Fame — the fan vote. So our fans are just particularly special; I mean, they've always been a rock. So I feel for them. And I feel for us. But I just want people to come out and be safe."

Prior to the latest postponement, "The Stadium Tour" was slated to kick off on June 19, 2021 in Nashville, Tennessee and conclude on September 12, 2021 in San Diego, California.

The trek will now launch on June 16, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia and run through September 7, 2022 in San Francisco, California.

As of January 30, 2020, "The Stadium Tour" had already grossed $130 million from one million tickets sold, plus another $5 million worth of VIP seats, according to Billboard.

Tickets ranged from $150 to $400, not counting some varied pricing that reflected demand as part of "dynamic pricing."

When it happens, "The Stadium Tour" will mark the CRÜE's first live dates since wrapping its 2014/2015 farewell tour. CRÜE toured with POISON back in 2011 and DEF LEPPARD teamed up with POISON for a string of road dates in 2017 — but the upcoming jaunt marks the first time all four acts have hit the road together for an extended tour.

In the face of the coronavirus pandemic, thousands of concerts and festivals have either been postponed or canceled, as social distancing and self-quarantining make performing live music and attending live shows all but impossible.

U.S. officials have repeatedly urged Americans to heed what federal, state and local officials are asking of them in order to curtail the spread and dampen the impact of the virus on the population.