At the request of the Minister of Economy, the Belgian Competition Authority (BCA) has launched an investigation into Live Nation’s acquisition of the Pukkelpop music festival.
Live Nation, a global leader in live entertainment, operates across the entire value chain of large-scale music events in Belgium. The company organizes major festivals such as Rock Werchter, Dour, and Graspop, manages venues including AFAS Dome, Trixxo Arena, Vorst Nationaal, Lotto Arena, and Capitole Gent, and runs the ticketing platform Ticketmaster.
Pukkelpop, held each August in Kiewit (Hasselt), is one of Belgium’s five largest music festivals, attracting around 250,000 visitors.
The BCA’s investigation will focus on the potential impact of the takeover on competition in the Belgian festival and live entertainment markets, given Live Nation’s extensive presence in the sector. The probe, conducted independently by the BCA’s investigative arm, will assess whether the deal could restrict competition under Belgian and EU competition law, following principles established by the EU Court of Justice’s Towercast ruling.
The opening of the investigation does not prejudge its outcome, and the company involved will have the opportunity to participate fully in the proceedings. Potential breaches of competition rules can be reported confidentially via the BCA’s whistleblowing platform at www.bma-abc.be.
