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With just over 12 weeks to go until the big event, Eurovision fans are still unable to buy tickets following the dismissal of ticket agency Concert.ua
By Jon Chapple on 08 Feb 2017
The sale of tickets for the 2017 Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) has been postponed indefinitely amid controversy over the choice of ticket agency.
The decision, taken by the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine, was announced today by Jon Ola Sand of the contest’s organiser, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). He comments: “We are disappointed with the delay to the start of ticket sales for the Eurovision Song Contest 2017, but are working closely with host broadcaster UA:PBC to resolve this situation. The EBU recognises that any tender process needs to be transparent and fair, and hope[s] that tickets can go on sale at the earliest possible opportunity.”
Kiev-based Concert.ua was previously announced as the winner of the contract to supply tickets, but a last-minute decision by the Antimonopoly Committee, reportedly under pressure from rival bidders, means the event is left without a ticketing partner with just three months left until kick-off.
“The EBU recognises that any tender process needs to be transparent and fair and hopes tickets can go on sale at the earliest possible opportunity”
Sales were due to begin on Monday (6 February).
It was reported in December that the EBU had made threats to strip Ukraine of the 2017 event over concerns about ticketing, travel arrangements and infrastructure, although Sand said shortly after he had “full confidence in the [host broadcaster] to overcome the challenges that remain”.
ESC 2017 will take place from 9 to 13 May at the International Exhibition Centre in Kiev. The winner of last year’s contest, which introduced a new scoring system, was Ukrainian singer Jamala, with ‘1944’.
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