×
  • remind me tomorrow
  • remind me next week
  • never remind me
Subscribe to the ANN Newsletter • Wake up every Sunday to a curated list of ANN's most interesting posts of the week. read more

Forum - View topic
NEWS: Anime Boston 2020 Convention Canceled




Note: this is the discussion thread for this article

Anime News Network Forum Index -> Site-related -> Talkback
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
Engineering Nerd



Joined: 24 Apr 2008
Posts: 897
Location: Southern California
PostPosted: Sun Mar 15, 2020 2:58 am Reply with quote
I see, this really confirms it. It’s not that Cons are waiting last minute, but a forceful ban of large gathering from local government, rather than they voluntarily cancelling themselves, can really minimize the financial damages and potential Hotel/lease contract issues.

Kind of like how Indian Wells and Miami tennis Masters tournaments got canceled (sorry I am a die hard tennis aficionado Razz ) due to local government enforcement, not ATP or WTA directly.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Kougeru



Joined: 13 May 2008
Posts: 5521
PostPosted: Sun Mar 15, 2020 8:19 am Reply with quote
It's ridiculous conventions are waiting so long. Showing that they care more about money than they do about the fans.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message AIM Address My Anime My Manga
Kilgamayan



Joined: 25 Jul 2006
Posts: 275
Location: Location, Location.
PostPosted: Sun Mar 15, 2020 9:59 am Reply with quote
AB is entirely volunteer-run. Canceling without force majeure would have cost them too much money for it to reasonably come back any time soon. I have felt bad for the mid-level staffers that have been pressured on all sides from fans to both cancel ASAP and not cancel at all when they didn't have the authority to make that decision, and I'm glad that they don't need to field questions about it anymore. I'm also glad AB was able to get the cancellation notice out so far ahead of the con weekend, which will allow for adequate time for canceling hotel rooms and flights and such.

(The response on the AB Discord to the cancellation has been overwhelmingly positive and relieved, if disappointed.)
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message My Anime My Manga
Aresef



Joined: 22 Jun 2005
Posts: 909
Location: MD
PostPosted: Sun Mar 15, 2020 6:31 pm Reply with quote
Kougeru wrote:
It's ridiculous conventions are waiting so long. Showing that they care more about money than they do about the fans.


As I understand it from their statements, had they canceled before the emergency declaration and all that, they still would have been on the hook for payments to vendors, performers, the Hynes and to make all those payments and cancel the con could have bankrupted the fan-run nonprofit that puts it on.

So when cons canceled on Vic Mignogna after we discovered who he really was, some may have owed him something as a result and at least one ended up having to host him anyway. But when the governor declared the emergency and banned large gatherings, that’s force majeure and grounds to cancel without penalty.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
jdnation



Joined: 15 May 2007
Posts: 1993
PostPosted: Sun Mar 15, 2020 6:44 pm Reply with quote
Kougeru wrote:
It's ridiculous conventions are waiting so long. Showing that they care more about money than they do about the fans.


That's an uncharitable way of looking at things. Informing people a month in advance is good enough considering the unpredictability of the situation.

Also people's livlihoods are on the line too. Vendors usually count on these big events to make money on the niche products they don't sell in large quantities throughout the year and so these conventions do matter a lot. So these cancellations can be very costly to everyone involved by not insignificant amounts.

As someone lese mentioned a government mandate to shut down would help provide a financial parachute where refunds are practical without major losses. So it's ideal to wait for the authorities to tie your hands.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
The Risky Penguin



Joined: 04 Oct 2007
Posts: 88
PostPosted: Mon Mar 16, 2020 4:52 am Reply with quote
It’s sad that they had to cancel, but I understand why, and why it took them longer to do so. Keep in mind that before they had to cancel they put a notice up that they were going the extra mile to keep everyone safe at the con. Extra cleaning, wiping everything down, and having hand sanitizer in every panel room. All that would of cost more money to provide.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website My Anime My Manga
invalidname
Contributor



Joined: 11 Aug 2004
Posts: 2434
Location: Grand Rapids, MI
PostPosted: Mon Mar 16, 2020 5:35 am Reply with quote
The CDC is now recommending cancellation or postponement of events larger than 50 people for the next eight weeks. That would blow out everything through the weekend of May 9-10. From the schedule at animecons.com, the following big anime cons would all be affected:

  • Anime Detour (April 3, already cancelled)
  • Nandeshicon (April 3, already cancelled)
  • SakuraCon (April 10)
  • Anime Boston (April 10, already cancelled)
  • Anime Frontier (May 8)

It's too soon to know what things will look like further out, but at that point you're getting closer to summer and some really big cons:

  • Anime Central (May 15)
  • A-Kon (May 21)
  • MomoCon (May 21)
  • Animazement (May 22)
  • Anime North (May 22)
  • FanimeCon (May 22)
  • AnimeNEXT (June 12)
  • Anime Expo (July 2)
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Aresef



Joined: 22 Jun 2005
Posts: 909
Location: MD
PostPosted: Mon Mar 16, 2020 9:37 am Reply with quote
Yeah, I was thinking heeeeyyy I can take my money from canceling Boston and another trip and go to Acen, see GRANRODEO but that's not happening. Maybe I can put the money into saving for Otakon and spend the Amtrak/Southwest/Airbnb vouchers on Anime NYC
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Jordan Olex



Joined: 16 Mar 2020
Posts: 9
Location: New Amsterdam
PostPosted: Mon Mar 16, 2020 10:24 am Reply with quote
US authorities have asked to cancel the crowded events. Even restaurants have a limit on visitors. This is unfortunate Crying or Very sad
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
hikura



Joined: 21 Nov 2004
Posts: 565
PostPosted: Mon Mar 16, 2020 8:53 pm Reply with quote
Jordan Olex wrote:
US authorities have asked to cancel the crowded events. Even restaurants have a limit on visitors. This is unfortunate Crying or Very sad

It differs in each state.Just today New York,New Jersey and Connecticut asked all resturants to not take any sit down customers.It's only delivery or take out available.
It doesn't surprise me that a lot of convention are closing down.The big conventions,like anime Boston,would be a breeding ground for this diease.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Ouran High School Dropout



Joined: 28 Jun 2015
Posts: 440
Location: Somewhere in Massachusetts, USA
PostPosted: Wed Mar 18, 2020 8:38 am Reply with quote
invalidname wrote:
The CDC is now recommending cancellation or postponement of events larger than 50 people for the next eight weeks. That would blow out everything through the weekend of May 9-10. From the schedule at animecons.com, the following big anime cons would all be affected:

  • Anime Detour (April 3, already cancelled)
  • Nandeshicon (April 3, already cancelled)
  • SakuraCon (April 10)
  • Anime Boston (April 10, already cancelled)
  • Anime Frontier (May 8)


Add SakuraCon to cancelled list:http://sakuracon.org/2020/03/sakura-con-2020-cancelled/
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Ouran High School Dropout



Joined: 28 Jun 2015
Posts: 440
Location: Somewhere in Massachusetts, USA
PostPosted: Wed Mar 18, 2020 8:40 am Reply with quote
Jordan Olex wrote:
The big conventions,like anime Boston,would be a breeding ground for this diease.

The one that terrifies me is AX. 100,000 potential carriers.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Display posts from previous:   
Reply to topic    Anime News Network Forum Index -> Site-related -> Talkback All times are GMT - 5 Hours
Page 1 of 1

 


Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group