The country’s leading arena operations group is ASM Globalowned Stockholm Live, which operates Friends Arena (30,000-57,000), Tele2 Arena (18,000-37,000), Avicii Arena (6,000-14,500), Hovet (4,500-8,100) and less Annex 2,000-3,400).

“The market in Sweden has recovered really well from the shutdowns during the pandemic, and after being up and running for a couple of months, we see an increased demand for live acts again,” says Stockholm Live event sales manager Jenny Blomqvist.

“With a large number of previously postponed shows and concerts, both international and national, taking place within a short period over the coming months, the market is currently filled with amazing acts. Tickets today are sold right up until the day of the event because people have a variety of acts to choose from.

“The challenge for the industry in Sweden is to get back to the previous strength again”

The challenge for the industry in Sweden is to get back to the previous strength again. We have a particular focus on any staff that need to be re-hired as we train and develop our organizations for the coming months of events – all while delivering for the acts in our venues today.”

She says that the coming year looks good from an event booking perspective – “We really just hope that we get a full year without restrictions in Sweden and Europe.” But she says the new challenge is trying to predict even the next six months, because the market isn’t behaving the way it did before the pandemic.

“International shows are released with shorter (two to five months) sales periods than before. So in previous years we would have known by now what summer 2023 would be like, but today we’re still releasing shows for 2022. As a result, we have to be even more flexible in our calendars and have tighter deadlines in everything we do. It’s all about adapting to how the market will develop after the pandemic.”

“In previous years we would have known by now what the summer of 2023 was going to be like, but today we’re still releasing shows for 2022.”

During the pandemic, Sweden’s most famous venue – the Globe in Stockholm – was renamed Avicii Arena after the DJ and producer who died by suicide in 2018. “The new name is not only a tribute to one of the biggest Swedish artists in our business. time, but the iconic building is now also a hub for initiatives focused on young people’s mental health, in collaboration with the two major brands Bauhaus and TryggHansa as sponsors,” says Blomqvist.

Instead of being provided by an external supplier, food and beverage operations at the Avicii Arena, Hovet and Annexet have been brought in – a move that evolved during the pandemic. “We are now looking forward to developing the entire guest experience at the venues, all backed up by our international network within ASM Global, which has managed and developed F&B operations at all its locations.”