Belgian venue operator Be•at sells more than three million tickets for first time
Belgian live entertainment company be•at, which operates major venues including the AFAS Dome (formerly the Sportpaleis), Lotto Arena and Forest National, sold more than three million tickets in 2025 for the first time, the company said. Ticket sales were up by more than 13 per cent compared with 2024.
The record year was driven by concerts from international stars such as Lady Gaga, Pitbull, Mumford & Sons and Drake, who in several cases played their largest European shows at be•at venues. Strong demand for Belgian acts, including Pommelien Thijs, K3 The Originals and Metejoor, also led to multiple sell-outs.
Almost half of all tickets sold were for rock and pop concerts, while around 20 per cent went to other music genres. Comedy, theatre and family entertainment also performed strongly. The company attributed the growth both to a broader recovery of the live events market and to long-term investments in ticketing systems, data analysis, marketing and VIP services.
According to CEO Jan Van Esbroeck, sold-out shows reflect not only strong audience demand but also close cooperation with promoters and artists. be•at added that it views plans to double VAT on tickets with concern, warning that the measure could undermine the sustainability of growth in the sector.
be•at is based in Antwerp and operates arenas and theatres across Flanders and Brussels. It is part of Live Nation, the US-based global events group that organises major concerts and festivals worldwide, including several large music festivals in Belgium.
© BELGA PHOTO ZENO DRUYTS
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