Where: NEC, Birmingham When: Sunday 10 December Channel: BBC One

Nearly 3,000 tickets priced �25 each will be sold for the show, to be held at the NEC on Sunday 10 December.

The event, shown on BBC One, will be broadcast outside London for the first time in its 53-year history.

Tickets go on sale from 0900 BST on Monday 16 October, with money raised going towards staging the awards.

The programme, which features a range of honours including the overall Sports Personality of the Year award, has been held at BBC Television Centre, in west London, in recent years.

SPORT EDITORS' BLOG In the past, many sports fans have been disappointed they could not attend this unique experience Carl Doran, Sports Personality editor Blog: Have your say

Limited space has traditionally meant no room for members of the general public to attend, in addition to the array of sports stars who are invited.

However, the new venue will allow a bigger audience to enjoy the show, which attracts millions of television viewers every year.

BBC director of sport Roger Mosey welcomed the departure.

"This is a landmark decision for BBC Sports Personality of the Year as not only is it unparalleled that we are heading out of London, but thousands of sports fans will have the chance to come and see the show for the first time," he said.

"We're delighted to be heading to Birmingham as it was a clear choice for the 2006 awards.

"The city has a superb pedigree for sport having staged more major sporting championships than any other European city in the last four years.

SPORTS PERSONALITY VENUES 1999-2005 BBC Television Centre 1989-1998 Queen Elizabeth II Centre, Westminster 1978-88 Television Centre 1977 New London Theatre, Drury Lane 1965-76 BBC Television Theatre (Now Shepherds Bush Empire) 1960-64 Television Centre 1959 Television Theatre 1956-58 Grosvenor House Hotel, Park Lane 1954-56 Savoy Hotel, The Strand

"And we're very much looking forward to this year's main award too as it's a very open contest where there's no obvious winner."

Ryder Cup golf hero Darren Clarke is current favourite with bookmakers for the overall award.

But world equestrian champion Zara Phillips, tennis star Andy Murray and cricket's Monty Panesar are among a host of potential candidates.

Full programme and voting details will be announced nearer the time of the show.

Tickets, which cost �25 plus booking fee, will go on sale from the NEC box office.

Further information can be obtained by calling 0870 730 0142. Calls are charged at the national rate.

There will also be a number of hospitality tables being sold through governing bodies, to encourage wider representation from the world of sport, with money raised going towards event costs.

Ticket sales

Tickets will go on sale from 0900 BST on Monday 16 October.

The minimum age for people attending is 12 and all children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Proof of age may be required.

Maximum of four tickets per booking. Tickets are non-transferable and proof of identity may be required.

This is not a commercial event and all profit from ticket sales goes towards the cost of staging the event.

Restrictions and conditions apply to prevent tickets being sold at a higher price.