Having previously revealed over social media that US fans will be able to watch Eurovision 2021 via Peacock, NBC’s on-demand streaming platform, the EBU have confirmed that NBCUniversal have acquired the rights to broadcast both the 2021 and 2022 contests!
American fans of the Eurovision Song Contest, rejoice! Both the semi-finals and the Grand Final of Eurovision 2021 will be available to stream on Peacock, NBCUniversal’s streaming service.
According to Eurovision.tv, the 2021 Eurovision Song Contest will be available to stream exclusively on Peacock in the United States, both live and on demand.
The broadcast times for those hoping to watch it live are as follows:
- Semi-final one: Tuesday, 18 May, 2021, 3:00 ET
- Semi-final two: Thursday, 20 May, 2021, 3:00 ET
- Grand Final: Saturday, 22 May, 2021, 3:00 ET
The press release stresses that this is a TWO-YEAR deal, and that Peacock will also be broadcasting the 2022 contest, as well as the inaugural American Song Contest!
A whole new world…
With the American Song Contest confirmed, the Eurovision brand is crossing the Atlantic in a massive way. Of course, Netflix released a surprise hit film about the contest, titled Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga in 2020. You can read our team’s thoughts on the movie here.
Plans for the US spin-off contest had been in the making for a while, with Christer Björkman announcing in March that talks were ongoing. The first reports about the idea came out in May 2019, with both Björkman and Ola Melzig hosting a press conference. Ola Melzig will also be involved in the first edition for 2022. Soon after the first announcement, organiser Peter Settman confirmed that multiple broadcasters were interested in the rights. This presumably included NBC, who have ended up landing the gig.
Are you excited to see Peacock acquire broadcasting rights for Eurovision 2021 and 2022? Let us know! Be sure to stay updated by following @ESCXTRA on Twitter, @escxtra on Instagram and liking our Facebook page for the latest updates! Also, be sure to follow us on Spotify and YouTube to see our live streams in the run-up to Rotterdam!
