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Clash with Champions League final
Eurovision 2010 Date likely to change
The Eurovision Song Contest and the UEFA Champions League final are two of the most viewed television shows in the world. It would be almost impossible for the two events to take place simultaneously because many broadcasters are contractually obliged to broadcast both events.
UEFA announced that the dates for the Champions League schedule last December. Because 2010 is also a World Cup year, the Champions League final will not be moved to a later date. It is therefore most likely that the Eurovision Song Contest will be moved by one week to either Saturday 15th May 2008 or Saturday 29th May.
esctoday.com asked the EBU this evening for a comment on the clash. An EBU Spokesman told us "The EBU set the preliminary dates for the 2010 Eurovision Song Contest before it became known that the Champions League would take place on the 22nd of May. Obviously, we are looking into this and will take it into consideration when taking a final decision on the dates for the 55th running of the contest together with NRK".
NRK have benefitted from the fact that Norway's victory in Saturday night's Eurovision Song Contest final fell as the country began it's National Day celebrations which falls annually on 17th May. It had already been seen by the fans as a special reason to hold the Eurovision Song Contest at a time when the celebration would fall within the Eurovision Song Contest activities. It may now be the case that the Eurovision Song Contest will be held on Saturday 15th May and that fans will have to stay an extra two days to enjoy the national celebrations.
Related polls
- Norway: Vote for your favourite song in the final of Melodi Grand Prix
- Azerbaijan: Vote for your favourite act in the final of Milli Seçim Turu
- Hungary: Vote for your favourite act in the final of A Dal
- Iceland: Vote for your favourite song in the final of Songvakeppni Sjonvarpsins
- Malta: Vote for your favourite act in the final of Malta Eurovision Song Contest 2012
- Hungary: Vote for your favourite act in the second semifinal of A Dal
- Norway: Vote for your favourite song in the third semifinal of Melodi Grand Prix
- Sweden: Vote for your favourite act in the first semifinal of Melodifestivalen
- Malta: Vote for your favourite act in the semifinal of Malta Eurovision Song Contest 2012
- Bulgaria: Vote for your favourite act in the Bulgarian national final 2012
- Latvia: Vote for your favourite act in the final of Eirodziesma 2012
- Belarus: Vote for your favourite act in the final of EuroFest 2012
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I think it's better to have the football and the ESC final on the same day than to move the ESC final. Europe should not miss the biggest party day in the year in Norway.
Anyway it's only two teams playing the champions league final. The whole of Europe won't be interested in watching, as for the ESC final, 25 countries will participate.
Lina love's Norway!:
ESC mania 15 of May next year is Friday, 16 of May who is Saturday is Norway National day so is impossible also for 16 th of May,so is better first semifinal to be in 5 th of May, second semifinal 7 th of May and the final 9 th of May.
5-9th May is too early..besides when we finally are going to host ESC we want to show all the fans and delegations how we celebrate our wonderful national day. It will be a big party for everyone (which is 17th May, not 16th) 
I wonder why it cant be possible to have the semis 18th and 19th may (two days in a row) and the final Friday 21th May instead??
It's so typical that this clash happened next year (when Norway is the host) You can't miss our national celebrations.... 
Lina: The Norwegian national day is the 17th, not the 16th.
It can't be the 15th as Mrs McDonald down the road will be holding a finger buffet gathering - won't be able to make it then
i think is better to stay on 22 may because on that way will finaly the football and the song will compete so let see is the football more watched or esc i think that battle will be really hard but this is not going to happen so i only had an empty speech 
I hope for less success for the boring English teams next year!
Go BARCA this year!!!
Barca will winnnnnnnnnnnnnn . forever championss.)
"I seriously don't see how EBU could not know that the CL-final was to be played on 22nd May next year; that date was decided some time in 2007!!
Don't they check for any other major televised events before they make the preliminary date public?"
No they don't. It's been known for months that the European Cup Final will be held on a Saturday night from now on.
There is no option for the final to move, so the ESC will have to. I would prefer 25-29th, but it will probably be the week of 11th-15th May.
oups sorry i make a mistake 15 th of May is saturday
ESC mania 15 of May next year is Friday, 16 of May who is Saturday is Norway National day so is impossible also for 16 th of May,so is better first semifinal to be in 5 th of May, second semifinal 7 th of May and the final 9 th of May. 
Oh! I don't want there to be any clashes and I certainly don't want the viewing figures to be affected so please get this sorted out a.s.a.p. 15th May is the best date for the contest and I am sure most people agree. Please let the show be held on 15th May and NOT 29th May PLEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAASSSSE! Choose 15th May then everyone will be soooooo happy.
have at the same time 2 see who get the most viewers it would be like eastenders and coronation street on at the same time 
29 of May is too late i thing 5 - 7 and 9 of May is better
I don't like football but I realise that football is way more popular worldwide than ESC.
It's a shame but ESC has to move.
I only found out about this date collision today, and I was shocked, because I'm a huge fan of football, but I also don't wanna miss the chance to be at an ESC final in Norway (who knows when I'll get the chance again). UEFA won't change the date, so it's all up to EBU and NRK really, but I hope they pick the 15th as the final date. After reading the reactions here, either of the 2 alternative dates (15th/29th) will be a problem for someone, but I believe that the 15th will be the best, since it's much closer to our national day, and as far as I know, our national day celebrations are pretty unique. Either way, I hope they change the date, because I really don't want to miss either of the 2 finals...
I think it is best if they move it one week earlier so that it doesn't clash with the stupid football. They will just lose some viewers anyway if they compete.
I would love the ESC to be on the 15th May. but I wonder what came on Platini's(Uefa President) mind to move the Champions League final to a Saturday! Well I will only watch the final of Champions league only if Juventus would be in the final next year!
please the 15th even though i'd prefere an earlier date,. i still think the football should be moved
second semi might be on my b.day
Move the stupid football...I mean that all europeans have to see our national day...
Norwegian National day is the may 17 (and what a party it was here!) so it would be a shame for Eurovision to miss that, something I think all Norwegians agree on. Move the damn football instead!
11 13 and 15 may
Surely they knew about the football - it's been announced a long time.
Well - in UK the 29th May will be a Bank Holiday weekend and a major getaway.
So - viewing figures would suffer if they chose the 29th and the BBC could do without that after having a success this time.
For UK - the 15th is best.
I hope that they choose My 29th for the final. I hope that they make their decision in the next 6-8 weeks because I have to make arrangements to travel from New York to Copenhagen and then go to Stockholm by train to see some friends then on to Oslo by train to spend Eurovision week there. The sooner the better to get good airfares from the USA.
Saturday, May 15 seems to be the most logical and popular date for next years final BUT can we please not talk about next years Eurovision SO early- 2009's is hardly over!
The final decision: CHOOSE THE 15TH
I might go on holiday on the 22nd, so I could watch the final abroad. But it would be hard to watch the two semi-finals on holiday. And it would mean there's a shorter wait.
Adrian:
It's not that easy. They will loose a lot of viewers AND many countries have contracts terms they must follow which means they must show both arrangements LIVE. They can't exactly split the tv-production in two and show them both at the same time...
I seriously don't see how EBU could not know that the CL-final was to be played on 22nd May next year; that date was decided some time in 2007!!
Don't they check for any other major televised events before they make the preliminary date public?
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