Earlier this week, Tel Aviv was confirmed as the host city of Eurovision 2019. Since then, it has been clear that the host venue — Pavilion 2 of the Tel Aviv Convention Center — is a little on the small side. But now an Israeli newspaper is claiming that “only 4000” seats per show will be available to the public.

The tabloid Israel Hayom reports that while Pavilion 2 can seat up to 9000, only 4000 seats may be available for fans wishing to see the Eurovision 2019 shows.

Space for 2000 seats will be lost to the show’s stage and production equipment, such as cameras. It will be a snug fit, and unlike in previous years, the green room will be located outside of the main hall, in the adjacent Pavilion 1.

This leaves 7000 seats. But of that, around 3000 will be allocated to delegations, the EBU and other groups involved in the show.

Israel Hayom estimates this will leave around just 4000 seats available to the public. This averages to just 93 seats per the assumed 43 competing countries — though demand will vary between countries. It’s also expected that ticket demand will be high from both Israeli Eurovision fans and curious locals.

In previous years, OGAE fan clubs have offered members ticket packages, however there is speculation that due to the reduction in available seats, the number of OGAE packages may be vastly reduced or not offered at all. For Lisbon, 1700 OGAE ticket packages were available to fans, but the year before only 900 were available due to the much smaller Kyiv venue.

While Tel Aviv Convention Center is amongst the smallest host venue since Eurovision switched to arena venues in 1998, it isn’t the smallest. Eurovision 2003 was hosted in Riga’s Skonto Hall, with a maximum capacity of just 6500.

And as always, Eurovision is primarily a television event. Broadcasting it from a smaller venue won’t affect the ability of millions of viewers to watch the broadcast.

It is important to note that at this stage, the seating availability for Eurovision 2019 is currently just speculation. Neither the EBU nor host broadcaster KAN have confirmed seating numbers.

But what about the fans?

So what does a Eurovision fan do if they have travelled all the way to Tel Aviv but can’t get tickets to watch the live song contest shows?

If the semi-finals and grand final sell out, there’s still the possibility of the jury rehearsal or the family show. Both will allow fans to experience full dress rehearsals — just without the voting.

Another possibility is the Eurovillage. Typically the Eurovillage offers a live screening of the semi-finals and grand final. Fans can gather with other like-minded folk and enjoy the show amongst the festival atmosphere of the Eurovillage.

Another option may be to take inspiration from Sweden in 2016. The Globe Arena had a capacity of 16,000, nowhere near enough to meet the needs of Swedish Eurovision fans.

Broadcaster SVT came to the rescue with Eurovision: The Party. The event was held at Tele2 Arena — just along from Globen. It involved a live screening of the grand final, performances from Eurovision and Melfest stars and was the location of Gina Diwari’s points delivery.

Tickets to Eurovision: The Party sold out and was it considered a successful alternative for those who missed out on seeing the show inside the Globe.

Fans have speculated that a similar event could work for Tel Aviv, held either at a sports arena or at a beachfront park location.

What do you think? Should fans be given priority with ticket sales? Should alternate viewing locations be set up for fans? Share your ideas below!

Read more Eurovision 2019 news here

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Daniel
Daniel
6 years ago

Well, it’s just been published (Sunday’s a regular working day in Israel so…) that some extra 2000-3000 seats will be sold to the public in Pavilion 1, which is attached to Pavilion 2 and is also where the green room will be located (source: Ynet, in Hebrew though so I assume news will be spread to English language sites soon…)

Ana
Ana
6 years ago
Reply to  Daniel

That’s an idi0tic idea.. I don’t get why would people want to pay to see the green room and watch the show on screens while they can do this for free in the eurovillage

Daniel
Daniel
6 years ago
Reply to  Ana

for the same reason some people pay for business class or premium economy rather than coach on flights – they all arrive at the same time and to the same destination, but some people are willing to pay in order to do it in a more comfortable way and have a different experience… I’m pretty sure those tickets will cost far less than those in the main arena, and while I rather enjoy sitting outside watching in eurovillage or at home, some people will find it more comfortable for them, with a/c and all (have you been to Israel in… Read more »

José
José
6 years ago

Well, this Eurovision’s going to be ridiculously tiny. Bring back the show to Western Europe please.

Ana
Ana
6 years ago
Reply to  José

Would western Europe mind to send creative and good songs maybe people will vote for them to win. It’s a song contest, not a venue contest

anxx
anxx
6 years ago
Reply to  Ana

Ana – it’s also a venue contest, otherwise they would do it at the beach and wouldnt care. And everything matters, not just the song.

anxx
anxx
6 years ago
Reply to  Ana

And there’s nothing creative about copying k-pop and beth ditto, try again. She didnt even have the best live performance, the dislikes speak for themselves. But anyway, moving on: im fine with the venue.

Jake
Jake
6 years ago

oh remember when people were outraged Lisbon venue had no LEDs….well now Tel Aviv has no fans

Ana
Ana
6 years ago
Reply to  Jake

With fans as hysterical and odd like those that I see here in the comments, maybe a no fan show is not a bad idea.

Ana
Ana
6 years ago

With the pointless continuing of the whining about Pavilion 2 size, I would like to present the realistic numbers behind the “HUGE” Pais arena in Jerusalem. The Pais arena contain 11600 seats when 1600 of them are retractable, so the pitch can get bigger (same as Altice arena, Globen etc). After retracing those seats (as always being done in events like Eurovision) we are left with 10k seats which become 7,5k when the stage blocks quarter of the tribunes (as shown in the first example I will attach here). The pitch in its maximum is 2700 m2. Lets make there… Read more »

BRC
BRC
6 years ago

I thought Kiev had shown exhibition centers were not fit to host Eurovision… Israel seems like an amateur host at the moment.

Ana
Ana
6 years ago
Reply to  BRC

What was wrong about the Kiev show? Tell me exactly what is the problem.

Henry
Henry
6 years ago

The EBU bending the rules as usual, where was the 10K seat capacity rule? I’m just hoping for LED’s and lots of stage props.

Henry
Henry
6 years ago

2002 and 2017 stages seemed big on TV, so I’m not worried about it looking like a national final venue, but it’s pretty amazing that my college’s indoor basketball arena has a bigger seating capacity. Btw I heard Toy at the cafeteria the other day, and I’m in the US.

Nata
Nata
6 years ago
Reply to  Henry

Your basketball arena is gigantic!

Kris
Kris
6 years ago
Reply to  Henry

Which college are you in?

Love love peace piece
Love love peace piece
6 years ago
Reply to  Henry

Everything is bigger in the USA, we know that.

Denis
Denis
6 years ago

Most of you will watch it on TV anyways, so why bother about seats? It’s not going to make your TV-watching different, is it?
And smaller staging means more thinking outside the box. It means working with what you got in order to create the best show ever. I mean Malmö, Lisbon had smaller stages and managed to work. Not to mention in the past where Luxembourg always put on a show. And lets not forget the smallest venue to day: Milllstreet in 1993..

isabel
isabel
6 years ago
Reply to  Denis

Lisbon had one of the biggest stages, actually

Queen Netta
Queen Netta
6 years ago

It looks like we are gonna get A mixture of Malmö 2013 and Oslo 2010 which is fine If the lights are darkend it can create the illusion that it is alot bigger than it actually is! We are Going to be fine guys!

Pretty Princess
Pretty Princess
6 years ago
Reply to  Queen Netta

Downvote because there’s only one Queen and her name is Valentina.

Queen Netta
Queen Netta
6 years ago

GIRL BAAAYYYEEE

Bruno
Bruno
6 years ago

yes Kyiv and Lisbon both had bigger arenas and more seats…anyway i hope Tel Aviv with smaller one will be a good enough for contest , maybe they will manage to enlarge it somehow? lol

Mr. Vanilla Bean
Mr. Vanilla Bean
6 years ago

I have an off-topic question: Is a song eligible to participate in Eurovision when its lyrics were published somewhere before the deadline? Let’s say a poem or whatever, so really JUST the lyrics, no music at all. Let’s say those lyrics were then used to create a song and that song was published after the deadline. If I remember correctly, Jamala took her lyrics in the chorus from somewhere ancient. Does anybody know that? Maybe my question is impossible to answer for anyone here since the EBU are playing fast and loose with their own rules anyway. But there was… Read more »

Mr. Vanilla Bean
Mr. Vanilla Bean
6 years ago

I should have been more specific. Of course, I don’t mean stealing the lyrics. Let’s say someone wrote lyrics somewhere before the deadline and then someone else makes music to those lyrics and together, they publish the finished song after the deadline. So no plagiarism issues whatsoever, just lyrics that were available to read publicly before the deadline. That specific situation would really interest me.

gom2011
gom2011
6 years ago

twitter account @kinu_unik created this seating plan for the contest using a Theater styled seating. It can fit over 10,000 people.comment image

Ana
Ana
6 years ago
Reply to  gom2011

I was wondering if there’s a way to make a balcony in there, there is a lot of height being unused in there with the regular tribune. looks promising, but the columns will make a lot of problems.

Thomas
Thomas
6 years ago

I personally don’t mind the small venue, an I won’t mind not seeing the OGEA fan members. Most notably that guy thats been seen on camera every year since 2010. (Wiwi had an instagram post about him) Yes ESC is an event about all people but I am really…REALLY tired of the same old Queens being the ones we see in front. Just like this year we had a guy in drag being interviewed by Filomena, an all I could think was how out dated it was of an ESC thing. Yes Conchita won but with a serious song, so… Read more »

Tomás davitt
Tomás davitt
6 years ago
Reply to  Thomas

Sounds like you have some issues with internalised homophobia there.

Thomas
Thomas
6 years ago
Reply to  Tomás davitt

Thats a strong doubt right there. As I said I love Conchita(what a Queen) but for real we need to leave the gimmick drag acts in the past its cheap and tacky. Also does not paint LGBT people in a favorable light.

Kris
Kris
6 years ago
Reply to  Thomas

Which guy? Can I get a link?

Thomas
Thomas
6 years ago
Reply to  Kris

I am trying to find it! I know its somewhere on Insta.

voix
voix
6 years ago

All of you saying that “who cares if the venue is small”, do you realise that eurovision is a STADIUM event? to build a nice stage you ve got to have infrastructure and space. I dont want to see anytime soon the contest on a tv studio, because thats not what eurovision is today. Some of you only care to be in the standing area each year and get drunk with your gay friends instead of loving the show.

Loin dici
6 years ago
Reply to  voix

Well, if TAF is not a stadium or even an arena to you, prepare to be disappointed. With a capacity of 7.000-near 10.000 TAF is already big. If it’s not a STADIUM or a big arena EBU wouldn’t even put it into consideration. EBU knows what they’re doing and they will still make a great show out of it.

Sony
Sony
6 years ago
Reply to  Loin dici

EBU didn’t have much choice. They didn’t want Eurovision in Jerusalem from the very begining. It’s sad that Eurovision has eventually turned to be such a gay event. Grindr should be an official partner of next year edition in Tel Aviv. I was really looking for Eurovision in Jerusalem regarding deep iconic cultural background of the city. This place is such a symbol for the mankind. That would be a real CELEBRATION OF DIVERSITY! In Kyiv it was just a slogan. Now we have a celebration of versatility.

masc4masc
masc4masc
6 years ago
Reply to  Sony

“a celebration of versatility” We’re on the same page, it seems.

vers4vers masc4masc here. no total tops/bottoms. no PnP

Paulll
Paulll
6 years ago
Reply to  masc4masc

Can’t wait PnP in Tel Aviv next year!

Eurofan
Eurofan
6 years ago

But William will still get a ticket for his sister…

lds
lds
6 years ago
Reply to  Eurofan

unfortunately you’re right.

opus1612
opus1612
6 years ago

ESC 2019 album title: “ESC 2019:Intimate & Live”

Pretty Princess
Pretty Princess
6 years ago
Reply to  opus1612

ESC 2019 album title: High School Musical

(Since the venue is pretty much a high school gym)

Dame Tu Conchita
Dame Tu Conchita
6 years ago

Must be bigger than that Kazakhstan’s arena where in their NF for this coming JESC will be taking place there.

Joe
Joe
6 years ago

I might be going, as I have family in Israel and my grandma said she’d try to get tickets for at least six of us. If so, I couldn’t care less how big the arena is. I’ll finally be AT EUROVISION!! That’d be so cool!

Idan Cohen
Idan Cohen
6 years ago

This is the trade-off called “Tel-Aviv”. the trade-off has been known since the beginning – Tel Aviv as host city + small venue OR Jerusalem as host city + huge venue.

Pretty Princess
Pretty Princess
6 years ago
Reply to  Idan Cohen

Tel Aviv and a small venue vs. Jerusalem and the chance of ESC 2019 actually not happening at all.

I prefer Tel aviv and a small venue, if you ask me.

Mr. Vanilla Bean
Mr. Vanilla Bean
6 years ago

I support this! Why should the same OGAE people always get the front row seats and their same annoying faces always be shown to people watching on their devices after every goddamn performance? Get some fresh blood in there.

Mike
Mike
6 years ago

Anyone can join OGAE mate.

Mr. Vanilla Bean
Mr. Vanilla Bean
6 years ago
Reply to  Mike

I’m aware. Did it ever occur to you that some people do no want to join but still would like to go to Eurovision and a get a good seat? I’m not talking about myself, I’ve been three times, had excellent seats and now my desires have changed. Switching it up can only be good for Eurovision, the EBU should think about that. The aging OGAE queens can still troll around for grindr hookups in Tel Aviv. Maybe with new people next to the stage, there will also be less performances ruined by incessant flag waving. Granted, flag waving can… Read more »

cyprus
cyprus
6 years ago

HOMOPHOBE

Mr. Vanilla Bean
Mr. Vanilla Bean
6 years ago
Reply to  cyprus

You always know someone has a point when they have to write it all in capital letters. What a great argument, dear. You really showed me.

Roy Moreno
Roy Moreno
6 years ago

I really hope to get a ticket, it’s finally in my country and I have to experience it live at least once :3
And I’m not afraid of it being a bad show because of its size, people are overreacting as always

Loin dici
6 years ago

It’s not something really that urgent, because the show’s planning hasn’t been released yet. It’s better to wait for the show plan to be constructed in the upcoming months… and also to wait for the delegations, people, the delegations are far more important, they’re the real core of the show!

Celeste
Celeste
6 years ago

Honestly, I have to wonder why you all are upset about a smaller venue this time. i‘m completely convinced that most of you won‘t be going there anyway so why do you think it matters to you in the slightest? It will look bigger on TV anyway, just like Copenhagen 2014, so there is no reason to be mad about it. This is a song contest and not a who-has-the-biggest-venue-to-offer-competition.

Dave
Dave
6 years ago
Reply to  Celeste

Please don’t compare Pavilion 2 to the size of B&W Hallerne. That’s just ridiculous.

Sony
Sony
6 years ago
Reply to  Dave

That’s right. B&W Hallerne after renovation was huge. It was a spectacular edition of ESC. Here’s a pic: https://media.avisen.dk/GetImage.ashx?imageid=2404835&sizeid=49

Celeste
Celeste
6 years ago
Reply to  Sony

I know that B&W Hallerne is not that small as Pavillon 2 is but in comparison to other big stages in the past, it is still shorter. And as you said so yourself, 2014 was amazing, so why shouldn‘t 2019 in Tel Aviv be?

sweden
sweden
6 years ago

I miss lisbon 2018 so much already. Next year’s contest is gonna be awful

Roy Moreno
Roy Moreno
6 years ago
Reply to  sweden

And why is that?
Do you judge a show by the amount of seats or by the content, hosts and entries?
Size doesn’t matter (xD) and with grear camera work, it will look just as great as Lisbon

romania
romania
6 years ago
Reply to  Roy Moreno

a show in a bigger arena, with more people in the arena gives a much better athmosphere on TV, it is actually very important. why have the biggest entertainment show in the world in a high school gym?
kyiv 2017 was an awful and boring show, and one of the biggest reasons was the small venue.

Roy Moreno
Roy Moreno
6 years ago
Reply to  romania

Personally, I enjoyed the 2017 show :3
I enjoy any Eurovision, though the hosts in Kyiv weren’t so great

José
José
6 years ago
Reply to  Roy Moreno

“Size doesn’t matter” I am sorry but I like it big. The venue I meant.

Frisian esc
Frisian esc
6 years ago
Reply to  romania

Sweden, romania… Im seeing a trend between comment opinions and usernames.

Skimur
Skimur
6 years ago
Reply to  romania

In 2017 there were cute and funny hosts (Alex and Vova), great opening and interval acts, beautiful stage. It did not seem small on TV. Personally, it was the second best contest after Stockholm 2016.

Love love peace piece
Love love peace piece
6 years ago
Reply to  sweden

Now that you say you miss Lisbon 2018 I’m thinking it had the most quantity of nice songs that I’d actually listen to by my own, with inspiring lyrics but still, the show off firework song won. :/

Alex
Alex
6 years ago

Maybe a renovation/expansion of the Tel Aviv Convention Centre will fit more people.

La Signora
La Signora
6 years ago

The problem with Jerusalem is shabbat

Polegend Godgarina
Polegend Godgarina
6 years ago
Reply to  La Signora

We’re in 2018 and Israel is a first-world country, religion should no longer dictate what an entire country should or should not do. Those who take shabbat so seriously can opt out of working, but most Israeli Jews are secular and wouldn’t mind.

David
David
6 years ago

The Orthodox has more power than their actual numbers, because they are usually needed to form a government, and it has happened before, that Israeli governments have fallen because of disagreement over public work being done on Shabbat.

CookyMonzta
CookyMonzta
6 years ago

But is it that they take shabbat far more seriously in Jerusalem than anywhere else, Tel Aviv included?

Nikko
Nikko
6 years ago

Let Pavillon 1 stream the show on a big screen as well. So we can watch and party with the delegations with cheaper tickets!

Sam
Sam
6 years ago
Reply to  Nikko

But they need big space for delegation bubble they will prefer to put there the delegations with the green room.

Ana
Ana
6 years ago
Reply to  Nikko

Oh wow, you just invented the Eurovillage…. It’s already been invented tho

Nikko
Nikko
6 years ago
Reply to  Nikko

Apparently, my guess was right in the end. Pavillion 1 is going to stream the show with the green room in it!

Weißbrot
Weißbrot
6 years ago

I didn’t plan on going there anyway, but ,as much as I love the fact that Tel Aviv is hosting, I have to admit this venue seems to be a little small…

Sam
Sam
6 years ago

SAD Jerusalem better
comment image

Loin dici
6 years ago
Reply to  Sam

Please, stop. Ana has already told you the truth, and EBU already selected Tel Aviv. Grow up.

Sam
Sam
6 years ago
Reply to  Loin dici

Meh but tel aviv really small only 4K tickets you see now

Fast Food Music Lover
Fast Food Music Lover
6 years ago

A safe and cozy venue… who doesn’t want that?

Sam
Sam
6 years ago

I see you changed your nickname cool

ees
ees
6 years ago
Reply to  Sam

aka fikri

Vanuatu
Vanuatu
6 years ago

So true. The funny thing to me is that most of the fans actually preferred to have a show where they cant enter (because of space), rather than one better on that aspect. Is like nonesense to me. “I want eurovision in tel aviv (even if only 4k people will be able to actually experience it inside)”.
How to autodestroy the thing you love 😛

sweden
sweden
6 years ago
Reply to  Vanuatu

Because they wanna get laid in tel aviv, they never thought about the actual tv show

Loin dici
6 years ago
Reply to  Vanuatu

Even more funnier, the remaining 190k people has booked a free seat on their living room!

Eastman
Eastman
6 years ago

Pavilion 1 is almost as big as Pavilion 2. If the green room is going to be in P1, there will be room for an audience in there as well. Cheap seats to watch the singers get drunk!

Loin dici
6 years ago
Reply to  Eastman

Waiting for the footages of drunk delegations behind the green room!

Joe
Joe
6 years ago
Reply to  Loin dici

Let’s get the vodka flowing! Na zdrovie!

Daniel
Daniel
6 years ago

The 3000 tickets “reserved to the EBU” will be the tickets offered to the fan clubs as the “3-event-package” (most likely standing area). The other 4000 will go on regular sale. It’s not the big drama the Israeli media tries to make of it (I guess you guys get the idea of what the Israeli media is like by now lol)

I strongly suggest we wait till November when more concrete info on the show will be released by Kan before we “start a fire”…

Eastman
Eastman
6 years ago
Reply to  Daniel

So if OGAE is getting all of the EBU’s tickets, then where do all the delegations and EBU associates sit? And why would OGAE get 3000 tickets for a venue this size when they only got about 1500 for the much larger Lisbon arena?

Daniel
Daniel
6 years ago
Reply to  Eastman

I think we have a miscommunication here, what I meant is that the OGAE tickets are a part of those 3,000. Meaning the other 4000 are the regular tickets sold. Of course OGAE won’t get all 3,000, that absurd. Sorry if I wasn’t clear before.

Eastman
Eastman
6 years ago
Reply to  Daniel

All clear now. I hope OGAE gets some packages. The outlook is gloomy (nothing to do with KAN)