Movistar Arena GM Manuel Saucedo on Promoters, Production, and Powering Spain’s Top Venue

The ticket sales numbers Movistar Arena Madrid keeps reporting year on year are remarkable. It’s no wonder the building leads Pollstar’s arena ranking whenever we run Spanish arena charts for this annual focus on Spain .

The arena recently expanded its capacity to more than 20,000 with an in-the-round stage configuration, indicating that there was still more demand for live entertainment to be satisfied in the Spanish capital.

Pollstar reached out to Movistar Arena general manager Manuel Saucedo to ask him all the important questions a venue operator needs to answer in 2026. He talked highlights, trends, opportunities, and why he’s not fazed by the arrival of a new 20,000-cap arena in the city’s East.

Pollstar: How’s 2026 shaping up for Movistar Arena? Does it look busier or less busy than 2025? Any particular events you’d like to highlight? Manuel Saucedo: The 2026 schedule is almost fully finalized and will mark a new record for Movistar Arena, with more music events as well as sports and corporate events. We’re pleased that our venue continues to be chosen by artists on their international tours. Our greatest satisfaction is seeing that the experience at our venue is positive both for the performers and for the fans.

How hard is it to get a date at Movistar Arena these days, with promoters holding dates so far in advance, and so many artists out on tour at any give time? Well, it’s not that difficult if dates are booked far enough in advance. There are no issues for major international tours, as they consider Movistar Arena from the outset, nor for major performances by national artists. It becomes more complicated when there are routing changes and a specific date is needed, but at the moment Movistar Arena meets Madrid’s needs in terms of high-level concerts.

Do you notice more requests for (mini-) residencies at Movistar Arena than in previous years, i.e. artists wanting to play multiple days in a row? Does that further limit availability? Both residencies and mini-residencies are becoming a trend at Movistar Arena, as well as at other venues, because the fan experience is much more rewarding than in large stadiums. It’s true that performing several consecutive days can require more effort from artists if they don’t get a day off, but it pays off for them. Promoters also find it more profitable when they run the numbers—multiple shows in a venue with controlled costs and revenues are more attractive than a large stadium, where everything is less predictable.

This year we’ve already had very positive experiences with Rosalía. It’s true that a single artist can occupy several days, but in reality, there aren’t many artists who can sustain a residency.

What other trends are shaping your business in 2026: new event genres becoming popular, changes in audience expectations and buying patterns, etc? Economic concerns are always looming, and the current situation is worrying. Hopefully conflicts will be resolved soon so people can continue spending on leisure. There are also signs of lower alcohol consumption among younger audiences, which could impact beverage sales. These and other factors are always present. At the same time, there is a clear trend toward higher demand for VIP seating and premium experiences, which requires venues to adapt. We’re also seeing more sponsors shifting from sports to music.

Where do you identify the biggest opportunities for the operator of an entertainment arena right now? Without a doubt, in optimizing operations so that the venue becomes a true partner to promoters. This has been our strategy from day one: understanding promoters and their production teams, making their work easier, and reducing costs. Now we also want to work with them to enhance the fan experience and even monetize it, sharing the benefits with promoters, of course. Technology will help us greatly in this regard.

What challenges remain? We want to emphasize the need for the industry to protect its image. It’s hard to understand why there are still artists, managers, and promoters who do not respect sound limitations, causing venue closures, festival cancellations, and complaints from local residents in many cities. We also face the major challenge of controlling ticket prices and preventing speculation. That too damages the industry’s reputation. We must take care of the fans—they should be our top priority.

What are your thoughts on Live Nation/OVG’s plans to open an arena next to the Metropolitano Stadium? Is the live market in Madrid busy enough to sustain two 20,000-cap arenas in the same city? It’s important to note that Movistar Arena already has a capacity of up to 20,000 fans in its most favorable configuration, which is what Madrid needed. It’s true that a future option in Madrid is being discussed, but there are no clear details yet about its actual capacity or timeline, as there are reportedly still some urban planning issues to resolve. In any case, as a venue, we welcome any initiative that strengthens Madrid as a major European music city. Movistar Arena already has a long track record, and other competition should not be a concern.

Anything you’d like to add? Yes. As part of our vision for venues to play an active role in the music ecosystem, Movistar Arena, with the support of the Community of Madrid, has launched an initiative to discover new artists and young bands through a competition that includes auditions and training, called SUENA MADRID. An impressive 2,200 projects have registered, which shows the depth of musical talent out there. The prize for the six finalists will be the opportunity to perform on the main floor of Movistar Arena—and our real reward has already been helping young musicians. They are the future of the industry.

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_Originally reported by [Pollstar](https://news.pollstar.com/2026/05/21/understanding-promoters-production-teams-qs-with-movistar-arena-gm-manuel-saucedo/)._