OTTAWA—Following Ross Video’s recent withdrawal from NAB Show 2021 and the subsequent cancellation of the in-person event, Ross today announced that the company will not be participating in IBC’s physical 2021 exhibition, scheduled for Dec. 3-6 in Amsterdam.
In a scenario all too familiar to the run up to recent trade shows, Ross’s withdrawal from the IBC reflects vendors’ reluctance to commit to in-person events as well as concerns over the current state of international restrictions travel amid the uncertainties surrounding the 18+ month COVID-19 pandemic. Earlier this month, the industry’s largest trade event—the NAB Show, which was scheduled for next month in Las Vegas—faced a similar rash of vendor cancellations before having the show outright canceled last week.
At the same time the NAB announced the cancellation of its fall event, the Dutch government announced a relaxation of pandemic protocols, which prompted optimism from IBC that the December show would not suffer a similar fate.
“Ross believes in the resumption of large international trade shows and events when the time is right, and our commitment to both NAB Show and the IBC exhibition is wholehearted,” the company said in a statement today. “However, we remain deeply concerned about predicted spikes in infection rates from the Delta variant of COVID-19 towards the end of this year.
“With the international travel situation continuing to be uncertain and customer appetite for a physical event in December unclear at best, we do not feel able to ask employees, partners and customers to make the trip to Amsterdam. While regrettable, our decision to withdraw is consistent with our position that health and safety considerations must come first, and we appreciate this view being recognized by the event organizers.”
