MTV at the Arena - ticket ballot opens today

This, below, is a press release about the ticket ballot for the MTV awards at the Arena later this year.

Music fans in North West England to have greatest opportunity to buy tickets for Europe’s most prestigious live music event



MTV Networks International today announced that tickets for the 2008 MTV Europe Music Awards will be distributed via a global ballot.



The 2008 MTV Europe Music Awards will be broadcast live from the Echo Arena Liverpool, Liverpool – European Capital of Culture - on Thursday 6th November and are sponsored by edc by Esprit, Sony Ericsson and Dell.



The ballot for tickets will go live at 1600hrs GMT on Monday 8th September and people will be able to register for free for a chance to buy tickets by visiting the 2008 MTV Europe Music Awards website, www.mtvema.com.



With just over two months until the Awards ceremony itself, the majority of tickets will be available to people living in the UK, with a clear priority being given to people who live in the North West of England.



“With the MTV Europe Music Awards being one of the main music highlights of Liverpool’s City of Culture calendar we are very keen that people from the North West of England have the greatest chance to enjoy the show live,” commented Richard Godfrey Senior Vice President, Music and Production & Executive Producer, MTV Europe Music Awards. “We plan to put on a show that they will talk about for many years to come.”



Working in partnership with Seetickets and the Echo Arena Liverpool, the tickets will retail for £60.00 each (plus £3.00 booking fee). An additional charge of £4.95 will be added for Special Delivery of the tickets, to minimise the risk of fraud and to reduce the ability for ticket touts to purchase large numbers of tickets to sell-on. We feel that £60 per ticket is not only commensurate with the calibre of the event itself but also matches the price of other concerts at the Echo Arena Liverpool,” added Godfrey. “The MTV Europe Music Awards has always showcased some of the most famous, established and up-and-coming artists on the stage today and therefore we want to do everything possible to ensure that the tickets are distributed as fairly as possible.”



Tim Banfield, Echo Arena Liverpool General Manager, added: “I have no doubt the 2008 MTV Europe Music Awards will be one of the highlights of Liverpool’s Capital of Culture year. These will be the hottest tickets in town and I would urge all fans to register for the ballot in order to be in with a chance of witnessing one of the most spectacular stage shows in the world.”



Councillor Warren Bradley, Leader of Liverpool City Council and Deputy Chairman of Liverpool Culture Company, said: ''The MTV Europe Music Awards is a fantastic showpiece for our Capital of Culture celebrations and is one of the most eagerly awaited events in the city for a generation. I’m delighted that the public all have an equal opportunity to be there through a free ballot. With the MTV Liverpool Music Week running up to the awards the city will be the stage for some of the best music on the planet.''



People who are interested in buying tickets for the Awards will have to enter the ballot by registering for free their details at www.mtvema.com between 1600hrs, Monday 8th September and 1800hrs, Saturday 4th October. Only one entry will be permitted per household.



Each entry will be able to apply for a maximum allocation of 4 tickets, with the minimum age being 16 years old. The draw will take place on Monday 6th October and successful applicants will be contacted by the Echo Arena Liverpool after that date. Tickets will then be sent out a few weeks before the MTV Europe Music Awards by Special Delivery.



In 2007 the MTV Europe Music Awards - broadcast on 19 channels across Europe as well as across the US and Asia - reached a total television audience of over 30 million people. Additionally, dedicated MTV Europe Music Awards websites saw a 35% increase year on year to three million unique visitors with total visits on show day (November 1st 2007), increasing by 75% compared to 2006.