Only 6,000 tickets were available for each of the nine shows in total, which includes the six public dress rehearsals.
Such a limited number – and one that seems small for a show set to be watched by over 160 million people globally – is as a result of the stage set-up and other production elements leading to a reduced capacity M&S Bank Arena for this year’s event.
By comparison, last year’s event in Turin had 7,500 for each show – although that’s still less than the 10,000-capacity venue that Eurovision organisers last year said was required.
Given this event sees people from all across its participating countries trying to buy tickets, the frustration now felt by thousands who were unsuccessful was always inevitable.
Their disappointment won’t have been helped, though, by reports of oft-criticised Ticketmaster’s website crashing just moments before tickets were due to go on sale, with many presented with a “500 – Internal Server Error” message.
They’re now among the thousands who will now have to watch the semi-final and final on TV like the rest of us – or not, if you detest the marmite-like event.
Now fans know if they’ll be going or not – as well as who’s hosting – attention will of course turn to which act will represent the UK, and pick up the mantle from last year’s UK entrant Sam Ryder, who finished a very respectable second-placed behind Ukraine’s Kalush Orchestra.
Ukraine have already selected electro-pop duo Tvorchi, after the country held its national Vidbir competition to decide, in the underground metro station of Maidan Nezalezhnosti.
Some names being rumoured include an all- Brit Award-winning list of Rina Sawayama, Birdy and Mimi Webb. Whilst any of those artists would be a surprise, the fact they’re being spoken of suggests the UK is now considering a slightly higher calibre of artist to build on the relative success of last year.
