The coronavirus pandemic came through like a tornado and essentially blew away any scheduled event that would be a haven for large groups. From SXSW to Coachella to Stagecoach, events that drive income into their respective cities and are a staple of their industries every year, were either postponed indefinitely or postponed until later in the year. Hell, even the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo felt the heat and shifted to the July of next year. The one big event that hasn't caved in just yet is San Diego Comic-Con, which takes place this year on July 23-26. One would think this would be another event to bite the dust but those behind the convention are "hopeful" the show will go on.
On Wednesday, the San Diego Comic-Con official Twitter page released a tweet stating "To our amazing Comic-Con and WonderCon fans: We understand how difficult the current climate has been for all of us and appreciate your continued support through these trying times. No one is as hopeful as we are that we will be able to celebrate #SDCC2020 together come July.”
San Diego Comic-Con, which on average draws about 135,000 people, has a lot riding on it and for the city of San Diego as a whole. The event brings in nearly $150 million to the city, with attendees shelling out nearly $88 million across the four day event between the price of admission, dining, merchandising and more. Reportedly, hotel and sales tax revenue alone pulls in up to $3 million alone. This could be why their Twitter page goes on to quote Christopher Reeve in SUPERMAN in a second statement regarding the event:
Even if San Diego Comic-Con can go on as scheduled, one has to wonder if studios will want to send their talent to promote anything for their personal safety. Let's just say that they get a handle on the pandemic and deem it safe to go out in groups again. Will the talent, or even the attendees, feel safe flooding into the crowded Hall H on Saturday? Will attendees feel comfortable camping out in mass groups overnight to make sure they get to see the most popular panels of the weekend? We have to get back out there, no doubt about it, but is an event like this how we test our comfort level?
According to "Deadline", a decision won't likely be made about Comic-Con until June. The event is later enough in the summer that they have time to wait and see how this goes. All major conventions at the San Diego convention center canceled for April with two large medical conferences expected to tap out for May. Given that San Diego County has 849 confirmed positive cases with 15 deaths in a population numbered at 3.3 million, the convention center is also being eyed as one of two emergency shelters to help prevent the spread of coronavirus among the city’s homeless community.
Those who shelled out $304 for an adult five-day badge are eager to attend the event. Speaking as someone who has gone the last three years, I know I really want the event to happen because I was all set to go this summer with my only concern being dealing with the annual "hotel Armageddon." When WonderCon, SDCC's sister event in Anaheim, CA, was canceled a few weeks back, that's when I was worried about the fate of San Diego Comic-Con but the event continues to remain heroic about making the July date. I saw on social media that proposed it could be pushed back into the fall but given the television and film production schedules of the talent that could attend, a fall convention could prove problematic. Could the show go on at a later date and be more about the comics than the pop culture flash that has dominated the event for the last few years? It's possible and all we can do is wait and see if the villain known as the coronavirus claims another win as it has canceled almost every major event at the top of 2020.
Do YOU think San Diego Comic-Con will go on as scheduled and, if it does, do YOU think attendees will still want to attend?