Don Henley Hints The Eagles Will Close Their Career at Sphere Las Vegas

^{The Eagles' Sphere residency generated $42.2 million from 131,000 tickets sold. (Photo: Thomas Jackson / Alamy Live News)}

In Las Vegas, the Sphere has unquestionably become one of the city's predominant entertainment venues. With its 17,000-plus capacity, state-of-the-art sound, and iconic exterior, it would serve as the ultimate stage for any performing artist or band. 

In 2026, the Sphere may also mark the coda to a 50+ year career for The Eagles, the successful band behind “Hotel California,” “Take It Easy,” and one of the best-selling albums of all time.

The band recently added two more Sphere dates for April 10–11, bringing their total number of Las Vegas performances to 50. But comments from founding member Don Henley suggest those shows may carry more weight than fans initially realized.

Don Henley: Sphere Shows 'Will Probably Be It'

During an interview with CBS Sunday Morning, founding Eagles band member Don Henley faced several pointed questions about the band’s longevity and whether the end is near. In the interview, Smith asked Henley about the band's legacy, including the status of becoming the only band with a quadruple-diamond album. 

Henley did not hesitate when he said the Sphere shows “could” be the band’s last. 

“You know, I think this year will probably be it,” Henley said about shows at the Sphere. “I’ve said things like that before, but I feel like we’re getting toward the end."

When pressed on why now, Henley said it was for reasons far more personal than ticket sales or their legacy.

"I would like to spend more time with my family," he said. "I would like to spend more time growing vegetables. I’ve traveled all over the world, but I haven’t seen much of it…we see the airports and the hotel room and the venue, and we don’t get out much. I’d like to go back to some of the same places I’ve been and see more of those places.”

He added that he enjoys performing with the band, but it limits his ability to have a fully dimensional life.

“There’s a lot of things to do, I don’t ever want to have a one-dimensional life,” Henley concluded. “This [performing] is wonderful, but there are other things. I have two non-profit environmental organizations that I chair that I feel are really important, for conservation and preservation. I have four kids and a grandchild…there’s just lots of other things to do.”

Henley also cited the ravages of aging, which have caught up with him in particular as a drummer. Once the Sphere shows have concluded, Henley has stated that he will undergo lower lumbar spine surgery that he has pushed off for too long. Three of the band members have hit 78 and deal with "various ailments" so it's safe to say time has caught up with them.

Hundreds of Millions in Revenues at Stake from Sphere Shows

The impact that The Eagles have had on the Sphere, specifically, and Las Vegas as a whole is going to be difficult to duplicate. 

The Sphere opened to much fanfare in September 2023. One year later, The Eagles began their residency on its grounds. In their first eight shows at the venue, the band sold 131,000 tickets to shows at the Sphere, generating $42.2 million in revenues. 

There have been 40 more performances since that date. Once they perform in April, that'll bring them to 50 total performances for the band in Las Vegas. 

Sphere may struggle to find other performers outside just replacing The Eagles. The passing of The Grateful Dead’s Bob Weir in January raises questions about the future of the Dead & Company shows, which were primarily driven by Weir and vocalist John Mayer. Between The Eagles and Dead & Company shows, there are over half a billion dollars in revenue that would need replacing. 

Of course, Henley and the other members from the current lineup of The Eagles have more than earned a triumphant sendoff. Starting as the backing band for Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Linda Ronstadt in 1971, The Eagles would eventually step out from her shadow and enter into superstardom in their own right. 

Over more than five decades in the industry, the band has sold more than 200 million records worldwide, hitting the top of the Billboard Top 200 album charts six times, scoring five #1 Billboard Hot 100 hits, and earning induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1998.

Should 2026 be the final shows for The Eagles or Dead & Company, it will leaves humongous holes in the Sphere’s offerings that will take equally legendary artists and bands to fill.