SIGNALS
COVID-19 Fallout Severely
Impacts Conferences, Trade
Shows & Live Events
Market
There was only about a week in March
between Messe Frankfurt announcing the
postponement of its 2020 Prolight + Sound
trade fair and when it offi cially cancelled the
show completely. Within that short span,
seemingly the entire industry events calen-
dar, and almost all live events around the
world, were either postponed or cancelled
as governments, health experts, and the
public battle the spread of the COVID-19
virus.
In addition to Prolight + Sound, other
cancelled audio-focused events include the
2020 editions of:
•
Expo-Scene, originally scheduled
for March 25-26 in Montreal
•
USITT Conference & Stage
Expo, originally scheduled for
April 1-4 in Houston, TX
•
The NAB Show, originally
scheduled for April 18-22 in Las
Vegas, NV.
•
AES 148 th International Con-
vention, originally scheduled for
May 25-28 in Vienna, Austria
•
InfoComm 2020, originally
scheduled for June 13-19 in Las
Vegas, NV
•
Summer NAMM, originally
scheduled for July 9-11 in Nash-
ville, TN
“It is our profound regret that the world is
currently going through unpredictable and
unprecedented events which are having a cat-
astrophic impact on so much of our industry,”
the CITT/ICTS board of directors said in a state-
ment on March 16 th . “As CITT/ICTS is not sub-
sidized by any government program, we rely
heavily on the income from the Expo-Scene
show to ensure the annual support to our re-
gional sections, the ongoing programming to
the membership, and the sustainability of the
organization. This cancellation is a signifi cant
fi nancial blow to the organization and will
result in a $250,000 operating defi cit for the
2020 fi scal year, which will likely only increase
if the situation does not resolve quickly.”
In early April, after weeks of closely moni-
toring the situation and taking input from var-
ious stakeholders, InfoComm organizers and
the executive leadership of AVIXA decided to
offi cially cancel InfoComm 2020.
“This was not a decision we made
lightly, but with careful consideration and
as advised by public health authorities,”
says AVIXA CEO Dave Labuskes, CTS, CAE,
RCDD. “Thankfully, we did not have to make
it alone and are grateful to our InfoComm
community, exhibitor advisory committee,
education committees, and so many others
who supported our desire to not jeopar-
dize the livelihoods and long-term gains
of the industry ... [It] is important that we
move forward to the benefi t of the entire
community.”
Outside of the trade shows, the entire
live events market came to a sudden halt.
On March 12 th , Broadway announced it was
closing all theatres for at least a month. On
the same day, the concert industry’s biggest
promoters, Live Nation and AEG, as well
as several major agencies, released a joint
statement announcing they were suspend-
ing all concert tours for at least the rest of
the month. In Canada, every province had
declared either a state of emergency or a
public health emergency by April 1st, which
entailed the cancellation of all public events
and closure of countless venues.
For the latest on coronavirus/COVID-19
and its impacts on the pro audio indus-
try, as well as tips for individuals and
business to help navigate the crisis,
visit:
www.professional-sound.com/
coronavirus.
Solotech has launched an e-commerce platform at store.solotech.com, which off ers
used professional audio, video, and lighting equipment available for shipment
anywhere within Canada.
“What we off er with the Solotech Online Store is a simplifi ed shopping expe-
rience for diverse clients, from the beginner DJ looking for their fi rst mixer to the
entertainment venue owner who’d like to get their hands on premium-brand pro-
jectors, all in just a few clicks,” says Philip Giff ard, president of Solotech’s Sales and
Systems Integration Division.
Previously used by Solotech for tours and other events, all products displayed
on the online store are tested by the company’s teams of specialists before being
off ered for sale and guaranteed for 90 days.
For more information, go to store.solotech.com.
10 PROFESSIONAL SOUND