Not that it should come as any surprise, but this year’s San Diego Comic-Con, which had been scheduled to run July 23-26, has officially been called off due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The unfortunate reality is that major events like Comic-Con, which pack large audiences into buildings, are still a long ways off from being safe enough to resume at this time. And with no way of knowing if such events will be able to safely open back up for business this coming summer, the organizers of SDCC have had to make the tough decision to throw in the towel.
This is a major loss for San Diego as a whole, as the annual Comic-Con brings many millions of dollars into the city every year. Its cancellation is a first in the event’s 50-year history.
As the official statement reads:
“For the first time in its 50-year history, the organizers behind the annual pop culture celebration announced today with deep regret that there will be no Comic-Con in 2020.”
“Recognizing that countless attendees save and plan for its conventions each year, and how many exhibitors and stakeholders rely upon its events for a major portion of their livelihood, they had hoped to delay this decision in anticipation that COVID-19 concerns might lessen by summer. Continuous monitoring of health advisories and recent statements by the Governor of California have made it clear that it would not be safe to move forward with plans for this year.”
“SDCC also announced that individuals who purchased badges for Comic-Con 2020 will have the option to request a refund or transfer their badges to Comic-Con 2021. All 2020 badge holders will receive an email within the next week with instructions on how to request a refund. Exhibitors for Comic-Con 2020 will also have the option to request a refund or transfer their payments to Comic-Con 2021 and will also receive an email within the next week with instructions on how to process their request.”
“In the next few days onPeak, Comic-Con’s official hotel affiliate, will be canceling all hotel reservations and refunding all deposits made through them. There is no need for anyone who booked through onPeak to take any action, including trying to cancel their reservations online or contacting the company via phone as the process will be handled automatically. Those who booked rooms through onPeak will be notified when refunds have been completed.”
“Extraordinary times require extraordinary measures and while we are saddened to take this action, we know it is the right decision,” said David Glanzer, spokesperson for the organization. “We eagerly look forward to the time when we can all meet again and share in the community we all love and enjoy.”
If everything goes according to plan, SDCC will return from July 22-25, 2021.