Belgium probes Live Nation takeover of Pukkelpop
Belgium’s competition authority has opened an investigation into Live Nation Entertainment’s acquisition of Pukkelpop, an annual music festival that draws 250,000 visitors near Hasselt. The probe was initiated at the direction of the Minister for Economic Affairs and will examine potential impacts on competitive conditions within festival organization and the broader live entertainment market.
The regulator noted that the ticketing giant already controls three major Belgian festivals, operates several large concert venues, manages artist booking services, and handles ticket sales through Ticketmaster. Pukkelpop ranks among the five largest music festivals in the country and will continue under founder Chokri Mahassine’s leadership despite the ownership change.
The investigation comes as Live Nation faces separate antitrust actions in the United States, where the Department of Justice filed suit alleging monopolization practices and the Federal Trade Commission accused the company of profiting from scalpers. The Belgian authority emphasized that opening the probe does not suggest a predetermined conclusion.
