San Diego Comic-Con Organizers Say They Will Not Sell Badges for 2021 Event

In a statement released on their official website, the organizers of the San Diego Comic-Con event announced that they will not be selling any badges for the 2021. Those who purchased this year’s badge will automatically be rolled over to the 2021 event.  

The next San Diego Comic-Con will be happening on July 22-25, 2021. Below shows the statement from the organizers:

Due to the continuing uncertainly of public gatherings during the Covid-19 pandemic, there will be no badge sales for Comic-Con 2021. With the cancellation of Comic-Con 2020, badge holders were given the option to either receive a refund or rollover their badge for Comic-Con 2021, for this reason we do not believe it is possible to sell additional badges at this time.

Their website announced back in April that they will be cancelling this year’s SDCC. The reason for this cancellation is due to the ongoing Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic. Although it is very sad that this highly anticipated entertainment and comicbook convention won’t be taking off this year. This decision is definitely for the best. Next year’s Comic-Con is scheduled to July 22-25, 2021 at the San Diego Convention Center.

To quote their statement: “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.”

Aside from Comic-Con, its related conventions WonderCon Anaheim is cancelled and its 2021 run will be on March 26-28, 2021 at the Anaheim Convention Center.

This isn’t the only convention that announced cancellation this year. In fact, big expos like E3 and AnimeJapan have also cancelled this year due to the current pandemic.

Attendees who have already purchased batches for this year’s SDCC can request for a refund or transfer their badges to next year’s convention. Emails will sent to attendees in regards to the refund processing.

The organizers of SDCC is also planning for a major renovation of Balboa Park’s Federal Building which is expected to be completed for the grand opening of the Comic-Con Museum, slated for Summer 2021. However, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, this has also affected this development.

About San Diego Comic-Con

From the beginning, the founders of the show set out to include not only the comic books they loved, but also other aspects of the popular arts that they enjoyed and felt deserved wider recognition, including films and science fiction/fantasy literature. After one more name change (San Diego’s West Coast Comic Convention, in 1972), the show officially became the San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) in 1973 with the fourth annual event. In 1995, the non-profit event changed its name to Comic-Con International: San Diego (CCI).

The show’s main home in the 1970s was the fondly remembered El Cortez Hotel in downtown San Diego. In 1979, Comic-Con moved to the Convention and Performing Arts Center (CPAC), and stayed there until 1991, when the new San Diego Convention Center opened. Comic-Con has been at home in that facility for over two decades.

With attendance topping 130,000 in recent years—in a convention center facility that has maxed out in space—the event has grown to include satellite locations, including local hotels and outdoor parks. Programming events, games, anime, the Comic-Con International Independent Film Festival, and the Eisner Awards all take place outside of the Convention Center, creating a campus-type feel for the convention in downtown San Diego.

Source: ANN