NEW YORK (CelebrityAccess) — New York Comic Con, the largest sci-fi and fandom event in the U.S. announced that it will not be taking place this year at the Jacob K. Javits Center in Manhattan and will instead online due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The convention, which was scheduled to take place across four days from October 8-11, features fans panels from popular television shows and movies, meet-and-greet events, a large dealer room and other events.
The sprawling convention has expanded in recent years, spreading out from Jacob K. Javits Center to other nearby venues, including Madison Square Garden and the Hammerstein Ballroom.
In 2019, the event drew more than 250,000 fans to Manhattan, far ahead of San Diego Comic Con which reported attendance by 135,000 fans last year and brings an estimated $100 million to the economy of New York City as attendees pay for everything from food and taxis to hotel rooms.
“While we’d much rather be giving you an update today on badges going on sale, it likely comes as no surprise that New York Comic Con 2020’s physical event at the Javits Center will not be able to run as intended. We very sincerely appreciate your patience as we worked with the Javits and local officials to figure out what, if anything, could go on as planned this October,” NYCC producer Reed Exhibitions said in a statement.
According to Reed Exhibitions, they are partnering with MCM Comic Con in London and YouTube to bring the Comic Con experience online via the New York Comic Con Metaverse.
The Metaverse will include four days worth of content from major studios, publishers and other creators in the fantasy and sci-fi world.
“This is your chance to interact with your favorite creators and celebrity guests, and most importantly, the opportunity to engage with other members of this vibrant community of ours. Metaverse October guest announcements, exhibitor profiles, and other information will be available at findthemetaverse.com,” Reed Exhibitions said.
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