The EBU’s discussions with the UK to host Eurovision 2023 have already started — and British cities are busy jockeying for position.
According to the Birmingham Mail, the city of Birmingham is bidding to host the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 at the Resorts World Arena. The venue has cleared its diary to bolster their chances.
The second largest metropolitan area by population the United Kingdom, the city is a major cultural hub known for both classical music and jazz. It’s also expert in hosting major worldwide events.
Ian Ward, Birmingham city councillor, has made his intentions known:
“To host such an iconic event would be a tremendous honour for our city, especially in light of such a difficult and challenging time for Ukraine.”
“Our hearts go out to them and as a city we are eager to lend our support in any way that we can. The Concert for Ukraine, held at Resorts World Arena back in March, really showed how music can unite us even in the most uncertain and troublesome of times.”
“We’re ready to step up to the occasion for the people of Ukraine and make music fans from across the world proud.”
Ward’s statement follows fellow Birmingham Councillor John O’Shea’s earlier assertion that the city has hosted, and can host the contest again.
Birmingham has done it before. It can do it again. https://t.co/3zcMEHidme
— John O'Shea (@politicalhackuk) June 17, 2022
Birmingham previously hosted in 1998 after British rock band Katrina and the Waves won the 1997 competition with ‘Love Shine a Light’. The 1998 edition was held at the Utilita Arena, formerly known as the NEC’s National Indoor Arena.
Birmingham’s bid venue – The Resorts World Arena
The floated venue for Birmingham’s bid, The Resorts World Arena, is located in Solihull, and has a capacity of up to 15,000 seats. The arena is located opposite the Resorts World Birmingham, an entertainment complex which features the largest casino in the United Kingdom as well as a shopping mall.
The Arena has also hosted major events in recent times, including ITV’s Concert for Ukraine in March, BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 2010, 2016 and 2018 as well as the BBC Music Awards in 2015. The city will also be hosting the upcoming Commonwealth Games next month.
Birmingham’s bid for Eurovision 2023 comes after the EBU announced that Ukraine, who won Eurovision this year, will not be able to host Eurovision next year. Other UK cities including Glasgow, Manchester, Liverpool, London and Belfast have already expressed an early interest in hosting the the competition in 2023.
Would you like Eurovision 2023 to be hosted in Birmingham? Let us know in the comments below!
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Birmingham last hosted in 1998, it’s kinda clear that they’re moving away from england, glasgow & cardiff would be perfect options but it’s probably going to manchester
sad
No pls no
Utilita Arena hosted the contest in 1998 when it was known as the National Indoor Arena, so why not give the nearby Resorts World Arena a chance in the event of Birmingham hosting the Eurovision Song Contest a quarter-of-a-century later.
Because the Resorts World arena is way out of town surrounded by car parks, industrial sized exhibition halls and a tiny shopping mall that pretends to be something special and nothing but nothing else. It’s utterly soulless. Utilita is city centre, surrounded by bars, cafe’s hotels, the canal side, all other city centre facilities.
Resorts world has no culture, no warmth no personality. The city centre is full of it.
Birmingham last hosted in 1998, it’s kinda clear that they’re moving away from england, glasgow & cardiff would be perfect options but it’s probably going to manchester
I think Glasgow and Manchester are the front-runners to host
Wales is usually ignored so why not choose Cardiff? Glasgow could also be a good choice.
Given the tendency to “spread the love”, I don’t think the BBC will have Birmingham host ESC twice in a row…not to mention that there are several other good options as well.
IMO, and with all due respect, there’s not a chance Birmingham will get to host this coming addition..
Wait…I think I may have been there before?!!
I was just there, I swear! It was a good arena!
I went to see David Grey and he was REALLY good!
I am a bit surprised that Resorts World Arena is preferred over the NIA, now known as Utilita Arena Birmingham. based on what I have seen, Utilita Arena’s ceiling height (at least 17 metres) is a bit higher than that of the Resorts World Arena (at least 12 metres), that is why I prefer Utilita Arena if it is Birmingham.
Since BBC have never hosted ESC in the same venue twice. Utilita Arena(Formerly NIA) is unlikly to be choosen as the venue. Because it was the venue for ESC 1998.
well, I think it’s now the time to be more open. Sweden hosted Eurovision in the same Globe Arena twice (in 2000 and in 2016), so hopefully BBC would do the same if it’s in Birmingham. but regardless, I think it will not be Birmingham who will get it; it is instead going to be either Glasgow or Manchester.
I have been to both, I believe, and from what I remember, the seating was very cramp with barely any leg room in Utilita. Resorts World had good services and was very comfortable.
i’ve also noticed this, but some concert performers prefer the lower roof and width of the arena, as it makes their stage seem bigger in comparison
I’m quite familiar with Birmingham Airport, and that’s connected to the whole NEC complex. Very functional and maybe not the most fun area for visiting fans, as I seem to remember it’s quite isolated from a lot of the bars/clubs. They’d have to take the bus/train to get close to those things, whereas the Utilita arena I understand is surrounded by those. I’ve never been to the latter, been to the former for a WWE event as a kid, seem to remember visiting the nearby motorbike museum. I’m rambling. But then again it’s the TV viewers who are the priority… Read more »
One other thing I wanted to mention.
In 1998, as I understand it, about a third of the arena had to be used for the stage and all the behind the scenes stuff, leaving space for a crowd of 4000 (though it looks more to me. Looked totally different from when Gladiators was there). This is quite below the numbers we see today, isn’t the capacity needed to be at least 10,000? I understand the building has changed a lot since then, does it have enough space inside today?
Back in 1998, the venue sizing that was the norm circulated around a 5000 capacity. It wasn’t until 2000 that the contest exploded into a full sized arena format. The bowl (circular end) of the arena was used only, and deemed adequate as a full sized arena would have been seen as way too big. Little did they foresee what was to come 2 years later. Today, there would be no question about using the full arena space.
since the new millennium, I think it is a requirement that the venue should have the capacity of at least 10,000. assuming that the number is for a normal end-stage concert, and assuming that only 70% to 80% of the actual capacity will be used for Eurovision due to the complexity of the stage and the production equipments, I think that the minimum capacity after being reduced for production reason is 7,000 or 8,000 (as stated in the 2022 bidding process).
I was there in 1998! Showing my age.
The stage was pulled right forward so the only seating used was the back arc and less than a third of the side seats used. The rest of the arena was behind the stage and hoses the green room and dressing rooms.
This arena is set in an industrial area on the outskirts of Birmingham (beside the airport).
The area isn’t pretty, it’s just dull, lifeless and has zero charm. Not to mention fans would have to rely on a bus to the venue the arena isn’t connected by metro.
If the UK hosts, they have plenty of stunning arenas set in ideal locations to choose from. If Birmingham hosts (which I doubt) they should choose the Utilita Arena instead. The Utilita Arena is a little smaller than Resorts, but bigger doesn’t always mean better!
9 min train from city centre and on site parking
It will be a good place if you enjoy planespotting. ? I actually think Birmingham has a very good chance of securing the contest next year. For one, it’s not London, so they’d be showcasing another city, secondly, the venue is very experienced in hosting large concerts and televised events and the huge exhibition centre could house the press centre (it’s basically Rotterdam Ahoy, but larger again) and maybe even side events. The city is big enough to accommodate the fans and it has experience hosting international events, like Eurovision and the Commonwealth Games. Personally I’d love to see Belfast… Read more »
the resorts world arena os a lot more prepared site wise to host large indoor productions, and has a great transport system, hotels nearby, and the actual resorts world which could offer daytime activities too
I went on the bus and I ended up meeting more people and socialising because of that. The venue is also MUCH more comfortable than Utilita.
Birmingham was an early favourite of mine to play host at the Resorts World Arena and is currently just behind Glasgow in my preference ranking, with Liverpool taking up third position.
Birmingham … wow … that was the very first contest I’ve watched. Time flies.
As a Birmingham guy I am happy for it not to come here as we had it last time. But if it is Birmingham it must be the Utilita arena in the heart of the city right next to the beautiful canals, cafe’s bars, hotels. Facilities galore.
Resorts world is so out on a limb from the city and is quite a soulless place surrounded by car parks and massive box like exhibition halls and not much else. It would tick a “functional” box for space but not a place for “experience and personality for fans and delegations visiting
Come on Birmingham , I am from London , anywhere but Glasgow. The Scots can’t have their cake and eat it
I’ve been to BOTH Utilita and Resorts World and from what I remember enjoyed RESORTS WORLD more than Utilita. This is because Utilita felt crampt and packed and the seating was not good – my legs could barely fit into the gap between the sits and I did not feel comfortable. In Resorts World, the seating is very comfy and there’s plenty of leg room and good food places in comparison.
i agree, and it does have life to it, the resorts world complex just next door has bought a lot of life to the arena and the atmosphere surrounding it
I was born in Birmingham 3 years after we hosted and it would be so cool to have it back in town after 25 years! I’ve been to that venue dozens of times and it’s probably one of the best options to host in the UK. It’s walking distance from the airport, surrounded by hotels and has the NEC next door which has enough space to host thousands of fans, the fancentre and the press centre. If it’s not Glasgow fingers crossed for Birmingham!