Rotterdam wants to host the Eurovision Song Contest in 2021. And the city council made that official on Thursday afternoon during a vote on the matter. A majority of councillors agreed the city should organise ESC 2021, which was canceled this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The European Broadcast Union (EBU) had asked for a decision from the municipality of Rotterdam before the end of this month — a practical and understandable request, given how long it would take a new host city to start preparing. If the city were to have abandoned the gig, officials would have consulted other cities in the country. The quick response also ensures that the host venue — the Ahoy Rotterdam — has time to rescheduled events in April and May 2021.
There had been questions about whether Rotterdam should proceed with the hosting, given that it will need to cover 6.7 million euros in lost investment from the cancellation of the 2020 edition. As we reported yesterday, the Socialist Party thinks those millions of euros would be better spent addressing poverty in the city.
What form will Eurovision 2021 take?
The form that Eurovision 2021 will take will be determined by the ongoing pandemic. Rotterdam’s leaders hope that entrepreneurs will receive an economic boost from bringing the Eurovision Song Contest to the city. The Leefbaar Rotterdam party proposed a motion to give free tickets to those working in healthcare. This proposal has been accepted.
Alderman Said Kasmi, who oversees the Education, Culture & Tourism brief, is also pleased with the decision. He told Dutch news website Nu.nl: “The most important thing for us is that we can make a party by and for everyone. Recently we have been working hard and in that respect we are ready to welcome the 65th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest in 2021 in our city.”
VVD councillor Dieke van Groningen told Dutch newspaper AD.nl that she supports ESC, but will not close her eyes to the threat of the coronavirus. “Keep in mind that the Eurovision Song Contest will happen in more than one year,” she said. “I am hopeful that there will be a vaccine by then. I don’t have a crystal ball, but I do feel that we can get rid of that virus. And you don’t offer hope to people with fear scenarios.”
Wanting to host and actually hosting are, of course, two different things, as Nu.nl points out. We’ll all have to wait for the Dutch broadcasters to give the definitive answer after they address organisational and financial issues of their own — hopefully next month.
Do you want Eurovision 2021 to take place in Rotterdam? Let us know in the comment section down below!
if there is a vaccine before the eurovision 2021 dates so I dont understand why social distancing should be used in the arena or even without audience
Epidemiologists today announced the earliest possible date for a vaccine is 15 months from now, until then all football games with audience and concerts will not happen. Next Eurovision? Rotterdam 2022!
https://www.nzz.ch/schweiz/epidemiologe-rueckkehr-zur-normalitaet-fruehestens-in-15-monaten-ld.1553184
It feels like the city of Rotterdam don’t want the fans there but they want the money. They selling tickets for 800€ to OGAE and give free tickets to poor people and healthcare workers. Also the broadcasters will get a huge amount of Tickets for sure. So the normal audience is out. It’s a shame fore this event. They should have done a Eurovison 2020 without audience. But Rotterdam wants to have the money from the fans and don’t welcome them. That doesn’t fit. Even take a look at the hotel prices.
Of corse you wouldn’t say anything against the Organisation cause you risk your press ticket.
But even without Corona it was a very intransparent ticket system this year. Unbelievable 800€ for OGAE Tickets, no waiting numbers, no infos how many tickets are available for the public, no information how many tickets are reserved for the broadcasters…
Ok please don’t attack Robyn like that, she obviously works rly hard along with the other Wiwibloggs staff to give us quality Eurovision content that we wouldn’t get otherwise. Your ignorance is showing, sweetie.
You do know that Eurovision 2020 was cancelled before final ticket numbers could be confirmed? There would have been one final ticket round after the stage was built but OBVIOUSLY this couldn’t happen.
Now I wonder if they will change some things for 2021, for example stage design, logo design etc.
How do healthcare workers get a ticket? Is it limited to those that work in The Netherlands only?
Lesser sorry 😉
Oh ok …….chances to get tickets will be messer than this year 🙁
How about we have Eurovision in the Netherlands every year? Just an idea. ??
Great now coronavirus needs to die! And we are good to go.
Lets spread positivity and hope not negativity and doubt about esc 2021! Cant wait for rotterdam next may.
It’s not going to be a winning game economically speaking though, will it? They already lost money on not hosting 2020. Add to that the financial crisis all countries will find themselves in after corona. People and fans won¨t exactly be eager to fly to another country either. Realistically speaking they won’t be able to cover the expenses. Still they should be applauded for insisting to still host it knowing the uncertainty of it all!
As sad as it is, I don’t see a Eurovision takes place in 2021 either, unless there will be a dramatic change during the summer and the outbreak will be stopped
So many downvotes… I don’t understand people, I am the first one who wants Eurovision 2021 to happen as should every year, but we really don’t know how the pandemic is going to evolve, so everuthing can happen by now and ESC 2021 is not sure??
Nooo, I wanted London 2021 🙁
Nooo, the UK didn’t win last year.
With a mediocre song that didn’t compete in 2020 and a dull rag placing last in 2019? #menotthink
Haha the UK never stood a chance to host..
Apparently if Australia won then we would ask to host with Germany, with BBC as second choice, but I’d love to see Eurovision in London regardless.
Great, now i just hooooooope my 2020 tickets won’t get canceled…
I think the tickets will remain valid now that Rotterdam will host 2021.
Let’s hope so! I don’t know if they will still have any corona measures in may 2021 and i had standing tickets for the family final show. Since they technically see this edition as a complete ‘new’ year i wonder how that goes with details like ticket sales, stage design, interval acts etc. Only thing i’m sure about is that we will definitely see the same hosts.
I hope they will keep the same staging, logo and interval acts, just to keep it fuss-free and economical. The staging can also be tweaked to have the green room on both sides if the situation doesn’t allow for a standing audience.
As much a some fans want it there is no way ESC 2021 will be a copy paste version of 2020. And really, why should it? Most likely it will be back to scratch for all.
It’s the same venue, why change the stage?
Logo: if it’s about the CD release let me remind you to check out the CDs for the 2002 and 2003 contests with the old Eurovision logo or the 2004 and 2005 contests (the latter had the Lebanese flag) Intervals: Lenny Kuhr, Rybak and a couple more are interested in performing next year. Staging: was never used, parts of it may have already been built so why toss them away when they are ready to use. It’s not always about sentimentality, if they want to use it they should be allowed. It’s more about saving time, money and resources and… Read more »
It should be though. The ebu has revealed a lot of amazing plans for 2020 as the staging and some of the interval acts and the hosts. I really want to see the planned stage for 2020 and the planned interval acts coming to life next year
Like at the BRIT awards in London?
The logo only showed when the countries debuted if I remember well.
Me too Frisian Esc
Now I can relax.