It’s now well-established that Estonia’s Elina needs around 65,000 euros to fund her Eurovision stage show — including projectors for her glorious and ever-changing dress.
The public broadcaster doesn’t have the cash, and fans have been waiting with bated breath to find out whether the network will find a donor to cover the bill. Some commentators have suggested that Elina’s businessman partner fund it all. But the broadcaster has said that’s not right, given that Eurovision is a national project.
Well now an academic has weighed into the debate. Elari Tamm, a lecturer at the Entrepreneurship University of Applied Sciences, has told DELFI that the state should offer donors a risk investment opportunity. It involves a bit of a gamble. An investor pays for the dress, and if Elina wins they get paid back several times over by the government.
“It’s difficult for the state to explain spending 65,000 euros on the Song Festival competition,” he says. “Eurovision may seem like light entertainment, but in fact it is one of the major events for the marketing of the country. If victory comes to Estonia, this is a great opportunity for nearly 200 million TV viewers to advertise Estonia as a destination, which is why it is worth the effort.”
“For example, if a private investor covers the 65, 000 euros worth of costs, the state will pay ten times more [to them] — or 650,000 euros for the prospect of a Eurovision event.”
“The game is as important as the song itself. The country could increase its chance of winning and hedge the risks by providing private investors with the opportunity to make a financial contribution and to return to the same odds in the event of success. And it’s not a big deal at all, given the annual spending on national marketing. The victory of Eurovision will drive hundreds of millions of viewers and thousands of tourists and journalists to Estonia.”
What do you think of the suggestion? What companies in Estonia do you think would be interested? Or you a private equity house ready to splash the cash? Sound off in the comments down below.
the song is good but too flashy for a winner. it’s a good top 10 contender though.
I don’t think that this operadong will have a chanse to win, sorry.
I’m with you, don’t be sorry!
I really don’t get the fuzz about this dress.
It’s as if the dress is a groundbreaking contribution to Eurovision entertainment.
They have been silent, so it’s either mean they have the money or they thought something else and doesn’t use the projectors. I did see some kind of post at Instagram, that expensive projector was installed at arena for countries, that use projector and then it said something like that: it seams that Estonia got their dress. Not sure about that, because they need 3 projectors not one. We don’t know, Estonia have been quiet about that, I guess we will see at 29. april, if somebody is going to film it and posts it somewhere.
how about if she sing with NO DRESS.. zero.. nada.. that would be way more impactful and cheaper..max benefit, 0 cost
Get naked in there and do this to the crowd with all that money while singing a solemn operetta
I’d rather donate €65,000 to the homeless.
Why not crowdsource the money? It’s not a lot of money to begin with? If every other citizen in Estonia donates a dollar they would have enough to cover the dress. Heck if every wiwibloggs fan donated 5 dollars they would have enough money to cover it. Why do weird risk investments when you can just turn to the public.
You can do that. I refuse to give her a single penny!!!
Estonia could pay $650,000 for a dress.
Soooooooo ridiculous
Did Salvador need a $65,000 suit to win last year?
Which Eurovision 2018 entry do you think require a dress worth at least €65,000?
1) Estonia
2) Latvia
3) Lithuania
4) Russia
5) Belgium
6) Croatia
7) Belgium
8) Slovenia
9) Malta
10) United Kingdom
11) Australia
12) Azerbaijan
13) Portugal
14) France
15) Cyprus
16) Greece
17) Finland
18) Romania
19) Israel
20) Spain
20) Spain. I don’t know why but it has to be Spain. LOL
The problem with Spain is that it would probably be a €65.000 dress… that could have been worn by Masiel and wouldn’t have looked out of place.
3 articles on Estonia’s dress! Did Wiwibloggs get paid by Estonia for this public stunt?
Probably not if they’re struggling to even afford this dress.
I had a dream yesterday where Elina Netchayeva is trying to be the next Vitas and she was wearing the most tackiest dress I’ve dreamt of all time.
Scratch that, it was a nightmare
She was wearing a iridescent tube top with matching pencil skirt with a ridiculously big and frilly iridescent romper and metal fingerless gloves. She’s also wearing Zhana’s wig and heavy make-up. It was horrible ??.
Hahahaha sounds ridiculously. 😀
If they had 650,000 euros to pay in return, they would just take 65,000 out of it to pay for the dress, wouldn’t they?
I think they should just give up on that dress, it’s lost
Estonia should tell us something new and exciting if they want to save their chance of finishing high
I sometimes wonder if countries think about sharing? Surley another of the artists could use a projector for something?
Can we stop trying to make the dress a thing. It isn’t a thing
This looks more and more like a non qualifier. It is already out of top 10 according to the algorithm
Case in point, it is down to number 5 in the odds. Australia is number 4 in the odds now.
it looks more and more like between Israel, Bulgaria, France, Australia for the win. Sweden, Netherlands, Belarus are rising. Italy, Finland, Russia continue their free fall.
Finland is now shortening / rising for the past 3 days
But not in streams and youtube views.
Should wiwiblooggs stop posting news about Elina’s dress? Yes? No? Maybe? Who knows? I say yes! Give Elina a break, please.
i am the only person here who thinks they already have the money??
You could be right. They probably already have the dress and maybe 2 backups. I’d bet they have the portable CGI projection equipment in storage and ready to go at a moment’s notice.
Dave Benton/Tanel Padar were better than Elina Nechayeva. At least, they had a song, not some vocal gymnastics session
Here’s why I call bulls**t ! They looked into all possible options? All alternatives? Tried every other scenario? 65k is the cheapest and only option? No way in hell. There’s definitely ways to make this happen and 65k for a projector is not a reasonable expense.
I have been in Tallin a few times and money is not a problem. Why dont you find a SPONSOR.
You got very good hotels also this huge Mall and the ferries that crosse to Finland.
65.000 Euros for Estonian Brand Companys is not a lot.
Borrow them an in exchange offer shows after Eurovision.
GOOD LUCK GUYS I HOPE I HELPD YOU
So the state won’t sponsor the delegation by giving €65,000? But they want them to risk paying €650,000 instead. Although Estonia won’t win regardless. Honestly though the whole thing is stupid. Even if SuRie asked the BBC for a €65,000 dress they’d tell her ‘you can have £65 for a cheap flight home’ Honestly if it’s such a big deal Elina should pay for it herself or her record label. It’s not even that great a projection anyway. I wonder if they can ask Ira for her non used €35,000 projection dress. Or maybe like a normal person think of… Read more »
Why do you hate us?
Is it just jealousy?
From Estonia.
It’s not you, it’s her.
No one hates you.
Its just annoying to hear that an artist chose staging that they can’t afford.
And instead of changing the staging like everyone else they’re trying to blackmail the government to spend €65,000 on a dress to be used 3 times maximum.
No hate at all from my site, but I have heard rumors that in most cases the host country is on the minus site after Eurovision, so this plead is ridiculous. They should simply look for a private sponsor. I mean, how do you feel as an Estonian taxpayer, working for her dress?
No reasons needed. Just do!
No.
From Europe.
I’m a bit annoyed that Wiwibloggs is putting so much attention on the dress issue. It creates a false image that this is some sort of publicity stunt and that Estonians are just trying to stir up some drama when in fact ERR and the goverment are genuinely very stingy with money. We are very careful with our money in the general (lowest public debt in Europe) and dont like spending money on seemingly “unimportant” things. The last bit is questionable because I do think the goverement HAS spent loads of money on a lot more unimportant things but that’s… Read more »
To be fair, if you have to rely on a dress to win a music competition, then you probably don’t deserve it do you?
*facepalm*
This article shouldn’t been released. I feel like I’m reading local news but in English. This is so so irrelevant, it’s just hyping the dress issue which is not necessary at all. I’m sick of seeing how the media is pushing and hyping the issue so much that it’s ruining the beauty of the song. Why the hell to focus on the money, it shouldn’t be such a big deal. Please, NO MORE articles unless there’s the final decision.
One alternative option: A see-through dress. 😀
(What do you mean, “that’s not allowed”?!)
I respect Elina as an artist, even though I don’t like the song at all. But this is getting ridiculous, they focus way too much on the dress. I get it, it was a good staging, it worked in the national final but if it’s not possible to do it in Portugal, they should just get over it and come up with a better idea. Staging is important but if the song is good, they shouldn’t really have to depend on a dress.
Who do you mean by “they”??? Estonian team, oh no darling. I am estonian and I can guarantee to you, that NOBODY hasn’t been talking about it, expect Wiwibloggs. They hate us and I don’t understand it why, but again nobody has beed saying anything about the staging in Lissabon.
Wiwi hates Estonia? Um, that’s a new one considering they’ve been fan favorite and Wiwi favorite for a long time already. They’re just reporting on it.
But the jury is juding the performance as well, so they need every single bump to have a good score in order to win. Also, the dress is good eye bait for the ones that would not like the opera. It’s been made into a package and now with one thing out, it feels off.
But why talk about it so much. Do they have the money for the dress or did they think something else for the staging? Like leave this alone, we will see it in few weeks already. But no, again I have to read some stupid news about it and now everybody here thinks that they don’t believe that song is good enough and they only want to do “project runaway show”. It honestly hurts. Yes, our team was stupid to not think this through. I don’t understand it either, why they did that show in national finals? Elina would have… Read more »
This is getting ridiculous. This was my favourite entry since it was released and because of the song. I didn’t pay much attention to the dress. But if they think they need the dress to win, they are totally uncrediting Elina and they don’t deserve to win. I’m sick of hearing/reading about this dress. It looks like if they had the choice, they would send the dress instead of the singer. Sorry, I really like the song but not cheering for a win here anymore.
” It looks like if they had the choice, they would send the dress instead of the singer”
LOL that was so funny. still laughing but so true.
A lot of wiwiblog fake-ish news victims there.
Many TV viewers will probably find this song and voice beautiful and the dress is just a part of the show. What is Eurovision itself in nutshell ….. ?
Oh no, don’t write fuuooooooorrza – because this sounds to similar to the German word Furz – and that means fart – and although some farts can actually sound high – you will never reach sounds that high. Sorry for making a joke, but I couln’t resist it.
I have just found a video with her performing the song in a pantsuit. What do you thing about it? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqXV2BkibPs
Still a pretentious bore but looking stunning,I admit.
If the outcome of a song depends so much on a dress – I don’t think it deserves a top 10 rating. And how “great” this dress and staging is depends also on how you feel about it. The German TV show in which they review the songs had one jury member saying it looks like a huge shower curtain.
I which Estonia the best – might the performance be good and the dress become less important.
The outcome doesn’t depend on dress. Nobody in Estonia, or our team or Elina herself doesn’t talk about the dress anything. It is just Wiwibloggs, who saw that this kind of new’s give people something to talk about, so they did it third time in a row. All what is write in this is a BIG lie. Trust me!
Anita, this jury member’s comparison of the dress is very unprofessional and oafish, it was published in Estonian media as well..and as I know as polite are the Germans, I’m very disappointed..
A great performance doesn’t need 65.000 euro dress! If the creative director is good enough, they must solved the problem. Like pressing the budget, find another alternative.
Tbh i feel like now they only judge the performance based on the dress, i mean this is song competition. Look at salvador clothing. Simple, doesn’t cost any penny and then he win. Bc the song is already good.
The risk investment is not how to solve the problem, it would make Elina nervous and she wouldn’t enjoy the Eurovision moment. This is sad. I’m disappointed.
Don’t be disappointed. Elina is sad because of this drama. She said in a interview, that this makes her sad. She wants to focus on the song and she can’t because it’s affects her. Also she sings about big love, but now people are talking bad abut his relationship. You will see, if she does give interviews at Eurovision, that she is sweet and humble person. I feel so bad for her, all she wanted, was to represent our country as good as she can and now I can already see how all she get’s to ask about every interview… Read more »
It’s THE MEDIA who’s ruining it.
3 articles on the dress is clearly not nothing. If anything, they made us dislike more about her and Estonia’s entry. She should fire her PR.
Can’t they just stay in in the semi please?
With or without the dress. I think Estonia will not win in any case.
And let’s not forget that it’s a song contest, and the best song will win regardless the dress(of course the dress can bring some ”extra” points, but not enough to win).
And I don’t think that anyone will risk investing so much money in this unpredictable contest.
Jennifer lopez copy…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7j0mxY1DEXg
I wish she stay in semi together with her stupid dress.
So they are counting on her dress way more than on her song? Sad but I’m not surprised. Her song is bland even though she has a voice of an angel, oh well
This is turning into the eurovision version of the Cinderella story 😀 : Elina is stunning, she needs a great dress for a big night event, only magic seems to be able to save her performance at this point 😐 , her evil stepsisters ( Netta and Sennek ) and their mum ( Saara ) could get the crown instead of her and everything will be in vain
I’m sorry but no. Doesn’t worth it.
Why in the heaven this much for a dress or they put the all Estonian budget in it ???
Get real people let her sing
But i watched the m&m production blog and they already had a projector in place for the delegations that might use it in their performance?
She needs more than one to cover the whole diameter of the dress, I guess at least 4. It’s a nonsense anyway because this projection dress thing have been done so many times already, it’s just sad that it’s the best thing they came up with. And this opera pop thing, there’s one every year, it’s like we’re stuck in 1998.
they forget the essential, it’s a song contest, not a dress contest. But if they insist on it being dressed like that, there is a very simple method, to be sponsored, like football clubs. Estonians still have more important things to buy than a dress for their competitor.By the way, the special effects are not a guarantee of success (remember Seiguei Lazarev and his surging effects on “you are the only one “…. losing to Jamala and a much simpler staging for” 1944 ”
)
This is turning into a cinderella story! It needs to happen!
This will be a good background story for some people to vote for it too.
Elari Tamm said: “Eurovision may seem like light entertainment, but in fact it is one of the major events for the marketing of the country.”
And there is the exact problem in a nutshell. It should be about the music. “Country marketing” should be taken away from the Song Contest. It has always been my opinion, and continues to be so. There must be someone out there who agrees?
If countries are more eager to win by the fact that the winner can get touristic promotion then the song quality might also go up because of that.
Of course. Look at the old Eurovisions. I know, on one hand the performances were simple because technology was not so advanced back then, but on the other – it was music, composition, voice that counted the most. I love many old songs/performances even without any fireworks or “shiny” dresses 😉
If Moldova was able to afford it in 2013, I don’t see how this would be an issue for Estonia.
Whaaaaat xD
Elina well she’s a talented operatic singer, she’s only 9 days older than me
but her song feels empty, i will be happy if she qualifies though cause i have respect for operatic music
Stop making this up!!! I am sure they would let us, estonians first to know do they have the money or not and yet their been no news about this in our country. So just chill Wiwibloggs and stop making news about this! Enough already!
Si Elina’s boyfriend can profit from his girlfriend’s performance as an “anonymous investor” instead of pitching in? Clever. Not saying this would happen, but a proposal like this makes it possible.
All this drama about the dress might hurt Elina’s chances more than not wearing it. Sad that they can’t afford the projections, but there are many many ways to stage a song like this and have it be a wow moment.
Get that woman the dress and stop this circus! As a curiosity Aliona’s dress back then was similarily purchased, so if they copied the dress they could also copy the means !