The Belgian Competition Authority (BCA) has announced the opening of an investigation into Live Nation's takeover of the Pukkelpop music festival, following instructions from the Minister for Economic Affairs.

Live Nation is a prominent player in the live entertainment industry, involved in organizing large-scale music events and artist management in Belgium. The company operates several major festivals and concert venues, as well as ticket sales through its Ticketmaster platform.

Pukkelpop, one of Belgium's largest music festivals, attracts up to 250,000 visitors each August. The BCA's investigation will assess the potential effects of this acquisition on competition within the music festival organization sector and the broader live entertainment market.

The investigation will be conducted independently by the BCA Prosecution and Investigation Service, focusing on compliance with competition rules that prohibit anti-competitive agreements and abuses of dominant positions. The outcome of the investigation remains uncertain, and Live Nation will be fully involved in the proceedings.