Support ESC Insight on Patreon

Eurovision Newsletter: Exploring The Options For Rotterdam 2021 Written by on November 17, 2020

With just six months until Eurovision 2021, the EBU and the Dutch Government are continuing to explore options to ensure that the Contest can still go ahead in some form next year. John Lucas rounds up the most recent developments in the latest edition of the ESC Insight newsletter.

With just six months to go until Eurovision 2021, the EBU and the Dutch government are hard at work discussing options for hosting next year’s Contest.

Back in September, the EBU announced four scenarios to ensure a Contest can take place in 2021:

Scenario A – Eurovision as normal

In this slightly optimistic best-case scenario, Coronavirus would have been brought fully under control by May 2021, allowing for the Contest to be held as normal. There would be nine total live shows including dress rehearsals and jury shows, a full audience and numerous activities in and around Rotterdam.

Scenario B – A Socially Distanced Contest

If Coronavirus is brought down to a relatively low-risk level, it may be feasible to hold a socially distanced version of the Contest. In this eventuality, there would still be nine shows with arena audiences, but capacity would be strictly limited to allow for social distancing.

In a move that may suggest that this is currently perceived as the most likely scenario, the Dutch Government has recently approved trials for running large live events featuring audience ‘bubbles’ of no more than 250 people. Each bubble would have their own bar and toilet facilities to avoid any risk of mixing.

However, these events will only be authorised in areas where COVID transmission is already deemed to be low-risk, which is not currently the case in any of the major Dutch cities.

Scenario C – A Contest with travel restrictions

In the event that Coronavirus is still causing travel restrictions around the world, the EBU will make provisions for contestants to perform remotely from their own country. Those that can make it to Rotterdam will perform in the arena with a limited, socially distanced audience, while the rest are broadcast from local venues.

Even if the majority of contestants are able to travel to Rotterdam, the contestant from Australia could face the strongest likelihood of being affected by this, with overland travel to Rotterdam virtually impossible and commercial flights to and from the country extremely limited.

Scenario D – A Contest in lockdown

The worst-case scenario, in which no meaningful progress is made on tackling Coronavirus and the Netherlands remains in a state of lockdown next May. The EBU has already committed that a competitive Eurovision must be held in 2021, so in this scenario the entire contest would be held remotely – with no audience and no additional activities in Rotterdam. Performances would all be broadcast from local venues, with hosting and interval acts likely to come from the Ahoy Arena.

While this scenario feels difficult, it is worth noting that it is the format that has been adopted by this month’s Junior Eurovision Song Contest, which may provide a taste of what we might expect in May should this scenario come to pass.

You can read more about this week’s news by signing up to the ESC Insight Newsletter. Read this week’s edition online here.

About The Author: John Lucas

A writer and content marketing professional with a passion for getting lost in strange cities and a strange fascination with micro states, John has been with ESC Insight since 2015 and has also had his writing featured in publications including The Guardian, Popjustice and So So Gay. Tweetable @JLucas86.

Read more from this author...

You Can Support ESC Insight on Patreon

ESC Insight's Patreon page is now live; click here to see what it's all about, and how you can get involved and directly support our coverage of your Eurovision Song Contest.

If You Like This...

Have Your Say

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *