The Venue

On 8 September 2011, Azad Azerbaijan TV (ATV) reported that Baku Crystal Hall will be the venue of Eurovision Song Contest 2012, although no formal confirmation by the organisers of the Eurovision Song Contest, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), has yet been made to clarify this statement. On 31 October 2011, Mr. Ismayil Omarov, the director general of Azerbaijani national broadcaster İctimai Television announced that a decision on the venue choice will be taken by the steering committee in January 2012. On 25 January 2011, it was confirmed that the Baku Crystal Hall will be the venue of the Eurovision Song Contest 2012. Even though the venue has an extended capacity of 23,000 people, only 16,000 people will be able to attend each show.