Is there a fan petition to rename the Birmingham airport after Ozzy Osbourne? All you need to know

Legendary rock star Ozzy Osbourne sadly passed away on July 22. In response to his death, his most ardent fans are looking for fitting ways to honor the icon in spirit, including starting a petition to rename the airport in his hometown of Birmingham, England.

U.K. radio host and podcaster Dan Hudson established the petition. It gives the following explanation as the preface for the campaign,

“Ozzy Osbourne was the most important musician ever to hail from Birmingham. He rose to fame as the lead vocalist of the pioneering rock band Black Sabbath, who invented the genre of heavy metal. Ozzy's influence on music and culture is undeniable. Naming our international airport after him would be a fitting tribute to his extraordinary career and contributions to the arts."

It continues,

“Other airports in the UK are named after their famous children (George Best International Airport in Belfast, John Lennon Airport in Liverpool) so it is only right that we do this here in Birmingham, in honour of Ozzy. Together, we can celebrate the legacy of Ozzy Osbourne and the incredible influence our city has had on the world stage, thanks to him.”

As of now, reports estimate that over 11,000 people have rallied behind the cause, although there is no clear-cut timeline for their intended proposal to come to fruition.

Ozzy Osbourne's Birmingham ties

Interestingly, the city of Birmingham has honored former Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne on past occasions. In fact, in June of this year, all the members of Black Sabbath were awarded the Freedom of the City of Birmingham at a ceremony in the Council House. According to a publication via the Birmingham City Council website,

“The Freedom of the City honour is the one of the oldest traditional ceremonies in the country and recognises people’s exceptional service to the city. This honour recognises Black Sabbath’s significance to the cultural and musical identity of Birmingham, their strong association with the city and continued influence as pioneers of heavy metal in both Birmingham and beyond.”

According to a Billboard report, Ozzy Osbourne and his Black Sabbath bandmates have long been entrenched in the city’s lore and,

“In 2019, Birmingham named both a bench and a bridge after the band."

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In the wake of Ozzy's tragic passing, his loved ones can hopefully take solace in the overwhelming amount of support and kind words voiced by his fanbase since his demise.

For more on this and other developing stories, check out Soap Central.

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