‘This Year’s Highlights Are Quite Diverse’: Q’s With Detlef Kornett, CEO, DEAG

DEAG recently published its 2025 half-year earnings, showing a successful group performance. In this interview, group CEO Detleff Kornett breaks down the reasons for the company’s continued growth, and also touches on trends and opportunities going forward.

Pollstar: How’s your German business? Are you happy with the 2025 calendar of shows as well as festivals? Any highlights you’d like to mention?
Detlef Kornett: I am happy with our German business and our calendar was very busy so far.

This year’s highlights are quite diverse. We are particularly pleased with the development of lit.COLOGNE, one of Europe’s largest literature festivals. In Cologne, authors bring their works to a broad audience, including young people and those who are not necessarily literature enthusiast. The diverse program has transformed literature into a lively experience.

The Classic Open Air is a highlight in Berlin’s cultural calendar, where big names in classical, pop, jazz, and rock music perform in the open air at the newly renovated Gendarmenmarkt in the summer.

Iron Maiden toured and had a phenomenal success but so did Maite Kelly, Nena and many others.
We are playing a leading role in the production of EDM festivals, Mayday, Ruhr in Love, Airbeat One, Nature One, Indian Spirit to name a few, which appeal to a diverse and young cultural circle.

How does the year compare to 2024?
This year is better than 24, and we have completed a good number of items of our transformation program.

What trends/developments in the German live entertainment scene stand out to you?
We’ve witnessed strong organic growth in the EDM scene driven by authentic community engagement and a deep connection to our audiences. Each festival has its own distinct identity – Nature One as a pioneer in electronic music, Indian Spirit as a psychedelic cultural experience, and Airbeat One as a visually stunning global dance event.

What truly sets us apart is our commitment to quality, creativity, and creating immersive environments that leave lasting impressions on festivalgoers.

Secret concerts and small pop up music events are a trend with the young audience. It is encouraging to see that they are out there, enjoy music and do immerse themselves in new music.

The strength of domestic talent seems to be a big one. DEAG has always had success with German artists, but has the importance of domestic maybe increased in recent times?
The market share of international rock & pop has grown within the live entertainment market but stayed relatively stable as a percentage of the total cake.

Diversification is a major driver, and German-language talent has been growing in all genres, or has created new styles within the genre for themselves. Tream is a very good and very successful national touring example.

Any economic factors that influence your business more than in recent years? Or is it still mainly the incredibly high costs for everything? How do you react to that?
You can feel that that spending at the Bar and f&b is more conscious and selective. Consumer mind set and budgets may well play a role in that. The ever increasing costs of everything are still driving ticket prices and lead to a massive market consolidation.

Any remaining challenges you’re trying to overcome at the moment?
Taxation in particular WHT [withholding tax] is more restrictive and complicated. Non-EU residents have to carefully watch the number of days they’re allowed to stay within the EU, the correct visa and carnets have to be professionally managed, creating more admin issues.

What are the biggest opportunities you observe in the German market?
Obviously the growth of stadium shows, and diversification across the world of music.

Any German cities that are becoming a must-play in the country for international acts, which maybe haven’t been traditionally?
Germany has always been a multiple-city play to cover the country. That has not changed.

Are there German cities that could do with another concert arena, or would you say the country’s infrastructure is sufficient?
Frankfurt has been working on a new arena for what seems to be a long, long time. Finally, a new venue, albeit with a sports focus though, seems to be close to realization.
Würzburg could use one, and is working on it, as well as the wider Munich area, which will get an additional venue.

I believe that some arenas may need modernization already, and it would be beneficial if additional mid-size venues came up, or were brought up to date.

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