Mission Estate concert sales on track for early sell out

The Dixie Chicks are helping push sales up for the 2017 Mission Estate Concert.

The 2017 Mission Estate Concert featuring the Dixie Chicks is shaping to be a potential sell-out if early ticket sales are an indication.

"We are delighted that fans have been quick to support this world-class act," Sports and Entertainment (SEL) chairman James Erskine said.

Ticket-chasing traffic through the Mission concert site had been 15 percent higher than any previous opening days and sales were already at a level with the two highest-selling acts to appear - Rod Stewart and Sting.

"People have snapped up tickets from all over New Zealand," Mr Erskine said.

"We are urging people who want to see the Dixie Chicks to get in early as we are on track for a sell-out."

The initial surge for tickets after they went on-line at noon on Monday led to the concert website crashing.

Many ticket seekers made their feelings clear on the concert Facebook page after having waited for more than an hour to get tickets - and were still unsuccessful as the site had frozen.

Mission Estate Winery CEO Peter Holley said the sheer volume of traffic once the sales site opened took the site down and they had to replace the server system.

He said while the concert website was otherwise well-resourced it did happen at what called a "pivotal moment" and said fans need not worry as they were going back through the system allocations to make sure those who brought tickets during the crash would receive confirmation.

Both the Rod Stewart and Sting concerts had drawn crowds around the 20,000 mark and the 2017 concert appeared to be heading the same way.

Both Mr Erskine and Mr Holley had predicted before the official announcement of the main act last Thursday that they were confident it would draw a large crowd to the Mission valley.

The female band, which hails out of Texas, played to more than 750,000 fans during their 2016 concert tour and filled venues like Madison Square Garden, the Hollywood Bowl and the 02 Arena.

Next year's concert will be staged at the latest time in its 25-year history - April 8.

Because of the later time the gates will open earlier, at 1pm, with the concert finishing at 9.30pm.