Pukkelpop 2007 | Priscilla Jordão | CC BY 2.0
The global battle over market dominance in live entertainment has shifted to Belgium, where the country’s competition watchdog has launched a formal investigation into Live Nation Entertainment’s acquisition of the popular Pukkelpop music festival. This move, directed by the Minister for Economic Affairs, reflects growing international scrutiny over the massive concert promoter’s sweeping operations across the industry.
The acquisition was announced as an “extension of their collaboration,” with Live Nation becoming the parent company of the annual August festival near Hasselt. While Pukkelpop will remain under the leadership of founder and CEO Chokri Mahassine and his co-founders, the Belgian Competition Authority (BCA) has initiated a probe based on concerns that the takeover could stifle competition.
Why Regulators Are Concerned
The BCA’s core focus is on Live Nation’s development as a “broader ecosystem” within the Belgian live entertainment market. As the regulator noted, “Live Nation is a global leader in live entertainment, active in Belgium across the entire value chain for the organization of large-scale music events.”
In Belgium, Live Nation already organizes three other major festivals—Rock Werchter, Dour, and Graspop—and manages prominent venues like Forest National and Lotto Arena. Crucially, it also operates ticket sales through its subsidiary, Ticketmaster. The BCA investigation, launched with a notice on November 12, will specifically assess the takeover’s likely effects on competition in both the festival organization and the broader live entertainment sector. The goal is to enforce competition rules that prohibit abuses of dominant market positions, in line with both Belgian and European Union law.
Global Scrutiny Heats Up
The Belgian investigation is not an isolated event; it contributes to a mounting wave of global regulatory pressure on Live Nation. The company is simultaneously facing two high-profile antitrust actions in the US. In May 2024, the US Department of Justice filed a lawsuit alleging monopolization and unlawful conduct, and in September, the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) sued the company over alleged issues related to ticket scalpers.
Despite the legal challenges, Live Nation’s financial performance remains strong. During a recent earnings call, President and CFO Joe Berchtold reported robust Q3 2025 results and insisted that consumer appetite remains high, stating, “We’re already on sale for next year for many shows and festivals… and they are selling as fast as ever.”
Ultimately, this case underscores a critical debate: as major players like Live Nation continue to consolidate assets, regulators worldwide are determined to ensure that market power does not come at the expense of competition, choice, and fair pricing for music fans.
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