15h ago

Spain threatens to withdraw from 2026 Eurovision if Israel participates

www.yahoo.com

30 comments

Stupid American here. Never watched Eurovision, but thought it was a competition for European countries?
- Israel is a European country
  
  It has nothing to do with them being European. It's because Isreal is a member of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). Also sponsorship of the event by Moroccanoil, which despite its name is Israeli.
  
  There isn't a single country Israel borders that is considered European. How can you possibly claim Israel is a European country?
  
  Not by a long shot. Not by any measure
  
  In Asia? Is this that New Geography?
  Interestingly, that site mentions Israel’s “strong ties to Europe” as a reason for its participation. Is Canada in Eurovision? Australia? The US (I actually know the answer to this onej?
  
  So is Lebanon, Egypt, Syria?
My concern is, even if Israel withdraws, it still owns the event through Moroccan Oil financing it. We might have an scenario of Israel not participating as a country at the contest, but Israel completely monitoring and controlling the whole process and winner choosing.
Spain and Ireland keeping Europe's dignity alive.
Way to go, Spain
So at least one country is principled.
- Slovenia is also threatening to withdraw, but Spain is the 5th largest contributer to Eurovision, so their withdrawal would be difficult for the EBU to recover from.
FUCK YEAH!
I'll never understand Eurovision. Like, I know it's a really big deal to some people, I just don't know why or how. It seems to be many things with music as the background theme. As a musician all my life, never been a consideration, but I get people love spectacles and it makes them. I'm guessing it's highly profitable off the back of that, but dunno.
Whatever it is, Spain using it as the channel it is. It'll get to people. Good job, Spain. Hope they and others follow through.
- It's s fun and silly European get-together event
- I'm a punk and metal guy at heart. I don't really get modern pop music, because I'm 45 now and I'm not forming neural pathways while listening to it. But that's fine, because it's not for me.
  Eurovision is, without a doubt, my favourite week of the year. I'll watch the semis to pick out who I want to root for, and to jeer at the UK entry which, as a Brit, is my God-given right. I will also throw shade at France, for historical reasons. Come the Saturday, I'll get a takeaway in, stock up on booze, and get shitfaced, posting along on Mastodon and having the time of life, before waking up on Sunday morning feeling like I'm dying.
  And I'll start the countdown again for next year.
  And yeah, Israel can fuck all the way off with what they've done to it. And all the other things they've done.
  
  So is it just the competition and spectacle you like?
  If they were doing lawn bowls or woodcutting instead, it'd be the same, but I'd totally get into that because it's so unnecessarily over the top.
- It's very popular in my country. It's a good show but in my personal opinion their rigged voting system makes it impossible to enjoy.
- Some of the many keywords that need to be in the blocklists to be able to use the fediverse without going insane.
- Except for Football it's one of the most watched television events in Europe.
  
  I mean, if I had a World War unspool on my continent a couple generations ago I'd be a big supporter of friendly competition too
Yuuuuup
We all know EBU won’t back down, the largest sponsor is based in Israel.
- Sponsors can easily be replaced. Spain is the 4th or 5th biggest contributor to the show every year, and that money cannot be so easily replaced. There are dozens of European companies that would be more than happy to pony up for the largest live event in Europe.
- Hopefully it gets to a point where the audience shrinks so much that sponsor dollars dry up too
- For anyone wondering, it's Moroccanoil
Good. Not surprised others aren't doing the same thing.

30 comments