S-PASS

What S-PASS does

S-PASS (legal entity S-PASS Théâtres Spectacles Événements, or TSE) is a French venue concession management company founded in 1994 and headquartered in Paris. The company manages and animates a network of 23 cultural, sporting, and event venues across France, including Zénith concert halls (Nancy, Strasbourg, Dijon, Limoges, Rouen, Saint-Étienne), arenas (Antarès Le Mans, Arena Grand Paris, Les Arènes de Metz, Le Phare Chambéry, Narbonne Arena), congress and exhibition centers (Le Millésium in Épernay, Le Capitole in Châlons-en-Champagne, Le Carré des Docks and Les Docks Océane in Le Havre), and theatres (La Chaudronnerie, Scénéo, Athanor). Venue capacities range from 484 seats at La Chaudronnerie to 12,000 standing at Zénith de Strasbourg Europe.

The company's core business is operating publicly-owned venues under long-term délégation de service public (public service delegation) agreements with French local authorities, generating revenue through concession fees, ticket sales across 1,800 annual events serving 4.5 million-plus visitors, venue rental and privatization for corporate events, sponsorship and naming rights (with partners including Festina as 'partenaire majeur', Coca-Cola, and Accor/KRO), and VIP hospitality packages. S-PASS does not operate proprietary technology; its assets are physical venues, long-dated public contracts, operational certifications (ISO 9001 achieved 2019, ISO 20121 in 2024), and resident-sport relationships with clubs including Metz Handball, Chambéry Savoie Handball, MSB Le Mans, STB Le Havre, and Narbonne Volley.

S-PASS is a wholly-owned subsidiary of GL events following the April 9, 2026 integration that merged S-PASS's 23 sites with GL events Venues' 60 sites into a combined French network of more than 80 event venues. As of 2018 (the most recent disclosed revenue figure), S-PASS employed more than 200 people and generated €34 million in revenue. The go-to-market is relationship-driven B2G/B2B: concession tenders with collectivités territoriales anchor the contract base, while secondary commercial teams at each venue pursue event producers, sports federations, corporate event buyers, and brand sponsors.

Name

S-PASS

Legal name

S-PASS THÉÂTRES SPECTACLES ÉVÉNEMENTS (TSE)

Website

https://spass.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

S-PASS TSE is a French venue concession manager operating a 23-site network of Zéniths, arenas, congress centers and theatres under public service delegation agreements with local authorities. It serves event producers, sports clubs, corporate sponsors and collectivités across France.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Venue Management Services

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (561920), Food Service Contractors (722310)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Venue-Owned/Operated Event Organizers (In-House Promoters) (MPAKADAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Catering Coordination & Bar Service Management (Non-restaurant) (HSACAAAH)

Keywords

• Venue management
• Public concession services
• Event venue operations
• Cultural venue management
• Arena management services

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Concession fees (délégation de service public): S-PASS generates revenue by collecting concession fees from local authorities for operating and managing publicly-owned cultural, sporting, and event venues under public delegation agreements.
2. Ticket sales and event admission revenue: The company generates revenue through ticket sales for concerts, shows, sports events, and other performances held across its 23 venues, with annual attendance exceeding 4.5 million visitors.
3. Venue rental and privatization: S-PASS rents out venue spaces for corporate events, seminars, congresses, galas, and private functions. Packages include VIP hospitality, technical services, catering, and event design support.
4. Sponsorship and partnership revenue: S-PASS monetizes venue naming rights and partnership deals (e.g., 'partenaire expérience', naming of venues) with brands such as Festina, Coca-Cola, and Accor/KRO. Partners engage multiple sites across the network for territorial activation.
5. Hospitality and VIP services: VIP packages including premium parking, dedicated reception, best-category seating, and cocktail services in private salons are offered as an additional revenue stream across venues.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

S-PASS manages and operates a network of 23 publicly-owned cultural, sporting, and event venues across France under long-term concession (DSP) contracts. The company provides full venue operation, event privatization, VIP hospitality (Loges & Clubs), and venue-naming sponsorship services for clients including local authorities, event promoters, and corporate customers.

Product overview

S-PASS (Théâtres – Spectacles – Événements) is a concession management company operating a network of 23 venues across France, including Zéniths, arenas, multipurpose halls, exhibition centers, congress centers, theaters, and event spaces. The portfolio spans concert venues (Zénith de Nancy with 4,600/5,900 capacity, Zénith de Strasbourg with 7,800/12,000 capacity, Zénith de Dijon with 5,200/8,900 capacity, and others), sporting arenas (Antarès with 4,800/7,200 capacity, Arena Grand Paris with 6,300/8,500 capacity, Les Arènes de Metz with 4,000/5,400 capacity), congress and event venues (Le Millésium with 4,500 m² main hall, Le Capitole with 16,000 m² across 4 halls), and intimate theaters (La Chaudronnerie with 484 seats). The network receives over 4.5 million visitors annually across approximately 1,800 events. Services include VIP hospitality packages, event privatization, and sponsorship/partnership opportunities. S-PASS is a subsidiary of GL events, which merged its venues with the s.pass network in April 2026 to form a unified network of over 80 event locations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 4.5 million+ annual visitors across the network
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• GL eventsflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 April 2026GL events is the parent group of S-PASS TSE. On 9 April 2026, the s.pass network of 23 venues joined the broader GL events Venues portfolio of 60 sites, forming a combined network of more than 80 event venues across France. This integration strengthens the territorial footprint and consolidates GL events' position as the leading venue operator in France.
• FestinacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerFestina joined the s.pass venue adventure (Groupe GL events) as a 'partenaire majeur' (major partner), associating the Festina brand with s.pass venues through a shared conviction of creating memorable moments at every show and concert.
• Coca-ColaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCoca-Cola logo appears in the partner section of the s.pass website footer, indicating an active sponsorship or commercial partnership relationship.
• Accor / KROminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAccor / KRO logo appears in the partner section of the s.pass website, indicating a commercial partnership or sponsorship relationship.
• Chambéry Savoie HandballminorGTM or Marketing PartnerResident sports club operating at Le Phare – Chambéry arena. S-PASS provides venue management and operational support for the club's home games and competitions.
• MSB Le MansminorGTM or Marketing PartnerResident basketball club operating at Antarès – Le Mans arena, one of S-PASS's flagship multifunctional venues.
• STB Le HavreminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBasketball club hosting home games at Les Docks Océane in Le Havre.
• Narbonne VolleyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVolleyball club hosting home matches at Narbonne Arena.
• Metz HandballminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHandball club hosting home games at Les Arènes de Metz, including Champions League and championship events.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• GL events Venues: GL events Venues operates 60 event venues in France prior to merging with S-PASS's 23 sites in April 2026. As S-PASS's parent group and now combined network peer, it shares the concession-driven venue operating model and exposes S-PASS to large-scale comparison on shared client relationships and sponsor overlap.
• ASM Global: ASM Global manages more than 400 venues worldwide (arenas, stadiums, convention centers) and competes directly with S-PASS for tertiary markets and event organizer relationships, while offering a broader portfolio benchmark for venue management scalability.
• Live Nation France: Live Nation France promotes concerts and tours across French venues, including Accor Arena (Bercy), and competes for the same promoter clients as S-PASS's Zéniths and theaters. Comparability centers on event content pipeline, ticketing relationships, and tour routing economics.
• AEG Facilities: AEG Facilities operates arena-style venues globally, providing a useful benchmark for S-PASS's arena-tier properties (Antarès, Arena Grand Paris, Les Arènes de Metz) including resident sports club management and corporate hospitality monetization.

Direct peers

• Viparis: Viparis operates Paris's major convention and exhibition centers (Porte de Versailles, Paris Nord Villepinte, Palais des Congrès) under public delegation agreements. It is the most direct French comparable to S-PASS, combining public-sector concession management, exhibition hosting, and corporate event services on a multi-venue footprint.
• Paris Expo: Paris Expo (Porte de Versailles operator alongside Viparis' broader portfolio and previously independent) runs French exhibition and event venues with similar B2G concession mechanics, congressional hosting, and trade fair programming overlapping with S-PASS venues such as Le Capitole and Les Docks Océane.
• Olympia Production: Olympia Production operates iconic Paris concert venues (L'Olympia, Olympia Théâtre) and programs artists across the French touring circuit, overlapping directly with S-PASS's Zénith and theater venues on shared booker relationships and competing for similar cultural programming calendars.
• Accor Arena (Paris): Accor Arena (formerly Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy) is France's flagship indoor arena operated via a public delegation similar in structure to S-PASS concessions. It competes for the largest concert tours and indoor sporting events, anchoring event organizer routing decisions nationwide.

Regional players

• Eurexpo Lyon: Eurexpo Lyon is a major French exhibition and convention venue operator with similar congress and trade show hosting capabilities to S-PASS's Le Millésium and Le Capitole. It competes regionally in corporate/private event bookings rather than across the entire French venue network.
• Fimalac Entertainment / Havas Live: Fimalac's entertainment arm and Havas-related live event businesses invest in French entertainment venues and experiences, operating as a peer on corporate event design, sponsorship structures, and live audience monetization strategies.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SpassTse
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/s-pass-tse

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about S-PASS