Who is Dutch and wants to buy tickets for one of the nine shows of the Eurovision Song Contest 2021 in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, will need all the luck one can get. Even the Dutch people who had tickets for the cancelled shows in 2020, and will get priority when it comes down to tickets sales of 2021’s shows, are going to find it difficult to actually get tickets. These are the words of Sietse Bakker, Executive Producer of the Eurovision Song Contest 2021.
“In case you are Dutch, and you had tickets for last year’s cancelled shows, you need all the luck you can get to get tickets for 2021’s shows. The ticket sales will go very quickly,” says Sietse Bakker, the Executive Producer of the Eurovision Song Contest 2021. “The number of Dutch people who want tickets will be enormous. In case you did not have tickets for 2020’s shows, you need a tremendous amount of luck to get tickets for 2021”, he adds.
One and a half week ago the Dutch Eurovision Song Contest 2021 organization got the green light from the Dutch government to turn this enormous event into a Fieldlab event, which means that the Dutch Fieldlab organization will use the Song Contest to experiment when it comes down to upcoming events in combination with COVID-19. At the moment a number of 3,500 people will be allowed during the 9 shows of the Eurovision Song Contest 2021 (6 rehearsals, 2 live semi-finals, and 1 grant final).
“Dutch fans who had tickets for last year’s shows will get priority to buy tickets for this year’s shows. I think tickets will be available at the beginning of May.”
Sietse Bakker, Executive Producer of the Eurovision Song Contest 2021
“Because of the COVID-19 restrictions there will be 40% tickets less available for 2021’s shows. Who got tickets for last year’s shows, but this time around will not get any tickets, will have no alternative. The organization of the Song Contest is not working on a special treatment for these people”, says Sietse Bakker. He also said: “I always say that the Song Contest on TV is the best Eurovision experience, but that is not what all the true fans of the Contest will say. So, let’s be honest, not getting tickets will be a huge disappointment for a great number of Dutch people. We know that many people have waited a long time, 40 years even, for the Eurovision Song Contest to come to the Netherlands again.”
“Fans can stop hoping for great Song Contest parties to be organized in the city of Rotterdam. Because of the COVID-19 restrictions the international delegations are commanded to remain as much in their hotels as much as possible. So, there will be no Eurovision pre-parties, music events or other linked Eurovision events.”
Sietse Bakker, Executive Producer of the Eurovision Song Contest 2021
“During previous Song Contests many countries had parties across the host city, and there was even a special Eurovision Club stationed in the heart of the host city. This is not possible this time around, but people, and especially the Eurovision Song Contest fans, will have something fun to look forward to in Rotterdam Ahoy and at home. The whole 2021 Contest will be experienced as very intense”, says Sietse Bakker.