Movies of War

Ed Sheeran played at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano in Madrid, Spain, on May 30-31, 2025. Atlético de Madrid Trending on Billboard When football season wraps up in May, Madrid’s Riyadh Air Metropolitan will kick off an extensive lineup of large-scale concerts, including Bad Bunny’s historic 10-date residency — the artist’s longest in Spain and his second-largest outside of Puerto Rico. For Atlético de Madrid, it’s not just about music programming. The events division already accounts for 6% to 7% of the club’s total revenue. “It’s an additional income stream that allows us to make use of the stadium 365 days a year,” says Óscar Mayo, Atlético de Madrid’s chief revenue and operations officer, in an interview with Billboard Español. In practice, the venue is not just a football stadium but an entertainment hub that is already planning events through 2028. Related Roc Nation Says Bad Bunny Super Bowl Halftime Show Was Most-Watched Of All-Time With 4.157 Billion Views in 24 Hours Gil Kaufman The growth is undeniable. After hosting concerts by stars like Ed Sheeran (May 30 and 31) and AC/DC (June 12 and 16) in 2025, the stadium is gearing up for an even more ambitious concert season this year. The lineup includes The Weeknd, with three shows; Bruno Mars, with two dates; BTS, with two exclusive performances in Spain; as well as the joint tour of Romeo Santos and Prince Royce; Alejandro Sanz; and the return of El Último de la Fila. Atletico de Madrid For the club, selecting artists is a key part of their model. “We don’t lend out the stadium without knowing who it’s for,” says Mayo. “We care about who’s coming. We want the best national and international artists to perform here.” This selection process is part of the venue’s strategy to establish itself as a significant stop on the global touring circuit. At the heart of this expansion is Bad Bunny’s residency, which is shaping up to be the summer’s biggest logistical challenge: 10 concerts scheduled between May 30 and June 15, expected to draw more thabn 550,000 attendees. “Bad Bunny’s 10 shows change everything,” explains Mayo, not just because of the volume of attendees, but due to the operational complexity of hosting a globally renowned residency. Intensive planning began right after last Christmas and now involves cross-functional teams from operations, security, hospitality, marketing and production working in sync across the entire venue. Related Bad Bunny & Lady Gaga Dominate Monthly Boxscore Report Eric Frankenberg The scale is measured in details that rarely make it onto the marquee: from specific ice replenishment points to continuously supplying vendors and restaurants over 10 consecutive days to the comprehensive reinforcement of staff across all areas of the stadium. “A summer like this, just in F&B (Food and Beverage), moves an enormous amount of money and requires immense demand,” adds Mayo, emphasizing that the fan experience is also built on an invisible foundation. To operate at that scale, infrastructure is key. Over the last 18 months, the club has invested more than 25 million euros in upgrades to access, mobility and connectivity, both for sporting events and large-scale concerts. This investment enables up to 90 production trucks to simultaneously access the venue directly from the M-40 highway, without disrupting local traffic — a critical capability when setups must be executed in record time without interfering with the venue’s operations. Atletico de Madrid This summer will also mark the concert debut of the Sky Ribbon, a 360º LED ring integrated into the stadium’s roof with a 404-meter (1,325-foot) perimeter and more than 2,000 square meters (over 21,500 square feet) of surface area. The system was first used during the sports season and is now being fully incorporated into major international tours. “It’s an example of the continuous improvements we aim for to keep the venue competitive on a global level,” says Mayo. Even with the organization of events and concerts, the stadium maintains its primary function as a sports venue. According to Mayo, more than 75% of the major activities hosted at the stadium are still sports-related. To accommodate both schedules, the turf is completely removed during the summer and replaced with a technical flooring that allows concerts to take place without compromising the playing surface for the next season. With preparations for the summer of 2026 in their final stages, Riyadh Air Metropolitan is already planning long-term activities. The venue, which will host the UEFA Champions League final in 2027, has much of its schedule for that year already defined, while the events team focuses on securing major international tours with an eye on 2028. “We want it to go well because, in the end, it’s the Atleti brand,” says Mayo. Daily newsletters straight to your inbox Sign Up Leave a Comment Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked * Name * Email * Website Post Comment More From Pro Touring How Madrid’s Riyadh Air Metropolitano Is Gearing Up for Bad Bunny’s 10-Concert Summer Takeover 39 seconds ago Franchesca Guim Business News In Canada: Reservoir CEO Golnar Khosrowshahi Discusses the Music Industry’s Global Future 1 hr ago Richard Trapunski, Kerry Doole, Heather Taylor-Singh Business News Billboard’s Music Industry Events Calendar 3 hrs ago Chris Eggertsen Management How Megan Moroney Set a New Career Milestone With No. 1 Album ‘Cloud 9’ 3 hrs ago Dan Rys Touring Meet the Beloved Promoter Who Made San Francisco’s Portola a Dance Fest Destination: ‘This Is My Dream’ 4 hrs ago Katie Bain See All News