LONDON—The CEO of IBC has revealed the show’s organizers are looking at “fall back dates” in December if they feel the show can’t go ahead as planned in September.
The back-up dates are Dec. 3-6, with the show still taking place in Amsterdam.
Michael Crimp said organizers are hoping the show can go ahead as planned in September, but they have “other scenarios” in place if that changes.
He added that they plan to announce any decision by the end of May/early June.
“We’ve had many challenges and many hurdles to overcome,” said Crimp. “Our aim is to reenergize and engage with the industry after challenging year. We feel a sense of purpose of being the catalyst to get everyone back on track.”
Crimp did warn that the show will not be as big as pre-pandemic. “We expect to see a drop off in some international travel,” he said. “We do know that our European audience would make for a really strong show.”
He announced that for those unable to travel to Amsterdam this year, IBC will be launching a digital offering running alongside the main show Sept. 10-13.
Key features of IBC 2021 include:
- A new IBC Showcase Theatre in Hall 12, with content streamed live to IBC’s digital platforms.
- Four new free-to-attend content hubs on the show floor, dedicated to Production & Post, Live & Remote Production, Direct to Consumer/ OTT and Content Supply Chain. The sessions from these hubs will also be available on the IBC digital event platform.
- A new, purpose-built home for the Content Everywhere Hub in Hall 5.
Organizers added that current bookings for IBC 2021 are going well, with 60% of stands booked compared to 2019.
For more information on IBC 2021, visit show.ibc.org.
