Sunday 25 September 2011

So you wish to make your way out of a semi final? - Points (continued...)

If you read the last post closely, you'll note that the top nine places, except one are not lucky places to land in a semi final. The exception of these is slot 4 quite surprisingly is the only place within the top 10. I should reveal that 6th missed out on 10th place on a count back.

So, 10th through to 19th:

TENTH
A semi final win came in semi final 1 of 2010 (Tom Dice - Belgium) for semi final slot number 10 as well as another six songs that progressed to the final. The remaining songs came 12, 16th twice and 21st twice. The average for 10th is 81.75 - 5th of the 19 slots and a safe place to expect a final space.

ELEVENTH
Of all the places in the remaining draw, eleventh is the anomaly. With an average score of 59.00 and this places it 15th of the 19 spots in the draw. While no song has come last in a semi final, only three songs have gone through. Mainly, 16-17th place cane be expected.

TWELFTH
2009 seemed to be a good year to be drawn twelfth; semi final one provided second place in the semi final and semi final two was the winner (Azerbaijan and Iceland respectively). 2010 was a good year too, both songs making the semi final. Sadly, this is all the good fortune for 12th; not other songs have made a final. The average points are 68.25 coming into 10th place, but only just.

THIRTEENTH, FOURTEEN and FIFTEENTH
These spots in the draw are prime real estate with only eight songs across these three placings of 12 semi finals that did not make the Eurovision Song contest final. I'm getting ahead of myself; lets go one by one.

Thirteenth is an unlucky number for some. Thirteenth has not seen a last place or winners, but they do have 8 of 12 successful semi finalist. The songs that have were unsuccessful were 2007, semi 2 of 2009 and 2010, and the first semi of 2011. The average points are 103.83; being the 3rd most successful place in the draw.

Fifteenth has a similar story to the thirteenth place with two exceptions - there was a semi final winner in 2007 (Serbia) and also a last place in the 2008 semi 2 (Hungary). Other than this again 8 of 12 success stories and 4 non starters (2008 and 2010 both semi finalists). The average score is 88.75; the fourth most successful place in the draw.

Fourteenth may seem humble and in no mans land in the draw. Let me advise you that it is a Eurovision semi final goldmine. The one and only entry that has not made the Eurovision final is that of 2007 (Poland). There was a winner in 2005 (Romania) and six others in the top 5 (2004, 2008 - semi 1 and 2, 2010 semi 1, both semis of 2011). The score average score is 108 - the top place in the 19 spaces.

SIXTEENTH and SEVENTEENTH
These two have a similar story to tell.

Sixteenth had a winner back in 2006 (Finland) plus another 5 successful semi finalists. Sadly, this is also the place where in 2007, the Czech Republic came 28th of 28 songs with 1 point. Otherwise, 2 x 14th, 2x 18th and a 21st. The average points score is 70.00, the 9th most successful slot of the draw.

Seventeenth is lucky for the final, but in the semi finals it is a different story. Seven of twelve semi finalist have progressed to the final, including the Turkish entry of 2010 which won the 2nd semi final. Seventeenth doesn't have a last place recipient, but the remaining five songs came 11th (07), 12th(04), 15th (08-2), 17th (11-2) and 20th (07). The average for 17th is 75.58; the 8th most successfully place in the draw.

EIGHTEENTH
There have been only 10 semi final places at 18th (2010 had 17 entries per semi final) and from the ten not one entry won their semi final or came last. What we do have is five entries that finished either 2nd or third in their semi final (Semi 1 of 2008, all semis for 2009 and 2011), plus a fifth and 2x 9th to bring the success rate to 8 of 10 entries making the final. The last two places were 23rd in 2005 and 11th for semi final 2 in 2008. The average score for 18th is 105.50, the second most successful place in the draw.

NINETEENTH
In most places last in the draw, there are 9 occurrences of 19th in the draw.   Nineteen is the only spot of draw to have two winners; both coincidently for Greece - 08 and 11. The remainder are a second and two eighths, 1 of 13th, 17th, 18th and 19th. The average score is 81.33 and the sixth most successful place in the draw.

So you ask, how many points have been scored for each place in the draw. Here it is:
  1. 768
  2. 546
  3. 432
  4. 919
  5. 558
  6. 819
  7. 791
  8. 674
  9. 749
  10. 981
  11. 708
  12. 819
  13. 1246
  14. 1296
  15. 1065
  16. 840
  17. 907
  18. 1055
  19. 732

Friday 23 September 2011

So you wish to make your way out of a semi final? - Points

It's a ruthless ESC world and 18 countries are usually left behind in the semi finals - 9 songs from each semi final going home to the wife and children, dog, cat, giraffe... you get the picture - home.

So there have been 12 semi finals contested over an eight year period with a varied number of participants - smallest 17 in 2010 and the biggest semi final in Helsinki with 28. Generally an ESC final will be up to 20 songs over two semi-finals nowadays. The placings after place twenty look like this:
  • 20th - 165.25 points (Four occurrences: 2004-2007)
  • 21st - 72.00 points
  • 22nd - 172.50 points
  • 23rd - 54.67 points (Three occurrences: 2005-2007)
  • 24th - 99.50 points (Two occurrences: 2006-2007)
  • 25th - 110.50 points
  • 26th - 197 points (One occurrence: 2007)
  • 27th - 4 points
  • 28th - 168 points
So where should you be if you want to score well in a semi final?

Countries over the last decade - Part IV

For anyone watching closely over the last 3 posts, there were errors in the sums and some of the countries have moved around a bit. Here is a recap to remind you all of were we are at:
  • 38th The Netherlands (4 ESC wins)
  • 37th UK (5 ESC wins)
  • 36th Poland
  • 35th Portugal
  • 34th Switzerland (2 ESC wins)
  • 33rd Austria (1 ESC wins)
  • 32nd Slovenia
  • 31st FYROM
  • 30th France (5 ESC wins)    
  • 29th Ireland (7 ESC wins)  
  • 28th Spain (2 ESC wins)  
  • 27th Croatia
  • 26th Lithuania
  • 25th Albania

Saturday 17 September 2011

Countries over the last decade - Part III

Eight countries down and three countries that account for 16 previous ESC wins amongst them. Numbers 26-30 on the next page:

Wednesday 14 September 2011

Countries over the last decade - Part I

Many things have happened in the last ten years:
  • A semi final was introduced replacing the 'in and out', 5 year adherence and other crazy rules.
  • A second semi final was introduced when the number of countries escalated to 40+
  • Juries, while departed, came back in various forms
  • Orchestra still missing
Anyway, today I will begin the ranking of the countries in accordance to number of votes scored in the ESC finals from 2002 through to 2011. Some are surprising - others are obvious.
41 seperate countries have contested the finals in these 10 years; three of these have appeared once and I've removed them from the deliberations:
  • BULGARIA - 2005 - Water
  • ITALY - 2011 - Follia d'amore
  • MONTENEGRO - 2005 - Zauvijek moja (Montenegrin song as part of Serbia-Montenegro
Everyone else is fair game...

Saturday 10 September 2011

Web link for your viewing

A Goddess Called Mehriban Aliye-wow!

This jewel is a tribute to the first lady of Azerbaijan, Mehriban Aliyeva. I'm not certain if it is satire or a serious article about the most powerful woman of that country as I viewed the pictures; she does not smile. I figure that the author will provide some insight into the building of the Crystal Hall and the days coming to Azerbaijan's day of glory.

Yes, a statue seems to have been commissioned. It will be at the back of the Eurovision stage and will be presented as a prize to the winning country.Get Dana International to lug that monster onto the stage.