Emerald City Comic Con was one of the first big events to be delayed due to the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak, but after the World Health Organization classified COVID-19 as a pandemic, nearly everybody seems to have followed suit, with dozens of events, corporations, and gatherings shuttering for at least a month in order to deal with the looming threat. Now, ECCC is one of the first major cancellations to commit to a firm rescheduling date — in August, five months after the original date it was supposed to take place. They announced the decision via social media this afternoon.
According to a statement released by ECCC, they will allow fans a choice: exchange their existing tickets for the new date, or request an outright refund. It is likely, given the size of the convention, that either option may take a few days to process.
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You can see their announcement below.
#ECCC is making its return August 21-23, 2020 at the WSCC! We’re so excited to pack our show into three unforgettable days this summer.
We know a lot of fans were hoping to transfer over badges to the new dates, so… (next tweet!) pic.twitter.com/NbVmdl3YCk
— Emerald City Comic Con (@emeraldcitycon) March 13, 2020
The exchange takes place now through March 27, so if you have tickets and want to exchange them, you have two weeks to get it done. ECCC’s website for their ticket exchange indicates that any tickets not yet exchanged will be cancelled and refunded after March 30. Additionally, since the convention will be condensed from its planned four days down to three, fans who bought 4-day tickets will get a partial refund as detailed on the exchange site.
At this point, ECCC has not released information about merchandise and experiences that might need to be followed up on. They say that will come un a separate message.
Earlier today, Florida Supercon became the latest in a string of cancellations and postponements across the entertainment industry, including South by Southwest, Coachella, and WonderCon. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have issued guidelines recommending that people stay away form large gatherings in order to prevent spread of the virus, which has been confirmed in most American states at this point. US President Donald Trump has also significantly limited travel from outside the country, and a number of major corporations are offering or sometimes mandating that employees telecommute rather than coming into the office.
