Why ‘American Idol’ Is Not Doing A 2016 Summer Tour

Update 4/1/2016: The original headline of this story said the tour was “canceled,” but a representative of “American Idol” told International Business Times the 2016 summer tour was never scheduled to take place.

Original Story:

“American Idol” Season 15 finalists and past contestants on the show won’t be hitting the road for the annual summer tour this year. The Fox singing competition show, which ends next week with a series finale, announced it was canceling the finalists tour, which sees past contestants traveling across the nation singing some of their most memorable covers.

In a statement to Entertainment Tonight, Core Media said while the tour is an “integral part” of the show, it felt the three-night finale was the perfect way to close the doors on the long-running series.

“It will be so memorable and meaningful, and we’ve chose to end it on that note,” Core Media said.

While some fans have taken to Twitter to express their shock and sadness over the “American Idol” tour ending, contestant MacKenzie Bourg, who was eliminated on Thursday’s episode 21, told ET he felt the canceled tour would allow him and other contestants to work on new music.

“I think it’s gonna be, in a sense, great, because you can spend more time working on an album and putting the music out. The tour is amazing for fans of the show, but I don’t know if it’s great for the actual artists. Now you can focus on being an artist first and that’s what I am.”

Billboard reported news of the axed tour first surfaced when Season 15 contestant Tristan McIntosh told a fan the top five finalists wouldn’t be hitting the road this summer.

As previously reported, the “American Idol” finale kicks off Tuesday and will include numerous special appearances and performances by past winners and contestants. Carrie Underwood, who took home the win in Season 4, recently wrote on Instagram about how excited she was to return to the Fox show.

“Where it all started for me! This is where I auditioned for #AmericanIdol I’m so excited to perform on the series finale on 4/7!!!,” she posted of her standing outside of a St. Louis stadium.

Following Thursdays show, La’Porsha Renae, Trent Harmon and Dalton Rapattoni are in the running for winning the farewell season.

“American Idol” Season 15 finale stars Tuesday, April 5 at 8 p.m. EDT on Fox.