Arena Market: Norway

The Telenor Arena in Fornebu, just a 15-minute drive from Oslo, is the country’s largest indoor venue, with a maximum capacity of 25,000. With forthcoming performances from The Weeknd, Robbie Williams, Depeche Mode, and Danny Elfman, CEO Kjetil Bell Tveit expects a rapid upward trajectory in selling out tickets in the coming months.

“The A-level artists are selling approximately the same a before the pandemic, but it’s taking a little longer to sell out all the tickets,” he says. “However, we expect that to change very soon due to the enthusiasm of our guests during these amazing concerts.” Despite the change in the sales pattern for tickets, Bell Tveit says the lead time to book concerts until they’ve been completed has been a lot quicker than it was beforeCovid-19, and the food & beverage turnover has been very healthy.

“The A-level artists are selling approximately the same a before the pandemic, but it’s taking a little longer to sell out all the tickets”

Furthermore, the Telenor Arena has undertaken some updates over the past year, with turnstiles being replaced to make ticket scanning easier thereby allowing people to get to the venue more quickly, opening a new restaurant that specialises in street food, and several water stations installed around the venue to increase sustainability efforts. “In the past year, we’ve had washable glasses, eliminating the need for single-use plastic,” he explains. “We have a strong focus on sustainability and will continue our work towards a more sustainable venue model.”

Bell Tveit also confirms that there are plans to meet a growing demand for smaller gigs. “We’re investing in a fixed ceiling installation that will result in a more scalable arena, which will allow us to organise and host concerts for 4,000-plus guests.”

Over in the capital, the Oslo Spektrum’s CEO Per-Ole Moenshares Bell Tveit’s optimism for the seasons ahead. “After a wild2022, it seems like things have slowed down a bit so far this year, but the booking situation for the next 12 to 18 months looks very promising,” he says. The Chicks, blink-182, BustaRhymes, and John Mayer are scheduled to play at the venue.

After undergoing a significant rebuilding project in the summers of 2018 and 2019 – including a new foyer, toilets, bars, and fixed and flexible grandstands, the Oslo Spektrum increased capacity by 1,500 to 11,500. Earlier this spring, the city council also granted permission to build Spektrumkvarteret, a 3,000-capacity arena that will compensate for the lack of a venue between the Sentrum Scene (1,650) and the Oslo Spektrum. Moen hopes to commence construction work in the middle of 2024.

“Think twice before booking a weekend trip abroad, instead prioritising live events in their homeland.”

Despite global inflation and increased living costs, he reckons that there is a massive opportunity in the country to fill seats in arenas, as Norwegian concertgoers would “think twice before booking a weekend trip abroad, instead prioritising live events in their homeland.”

Elsewhere in Norway, the 12,000-capacity Trondheim Spektrum – which opened in 2019 – boasts several halls, a conference centre, and a spacious area brimming with bright lights and a snack and espresso bar, and is set to welcome 50Cent, Lars Winnerbäck, and Stage Dolls before the end of 2023.