The coronavirus pandemic brought much of the world to a halt, but as things begin to open up in some parts of the globe live production is slowly figuring out how to make things work. Sound issues aside, the BET Awards put on an entertaining and non-claustrophobic program last night and the Emmy Awards have already announced a plan to move forward with a primetime telecast in some manner. Today, MTV revealed that the 2020 MTV Video Music Awards will take the biggest step yet when it comes to live awards shows.
According to MTV, the 2020 MTV VMAs will occur on August 30 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. It will be the first “live” event to occur at the arena since stay at home orders were put in place in March. During his regular pandemic new conference, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo noted, “The event will follow all safety guidance, including limited or no audience.”
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The announcement noted that there will be “limited or no audience,” but it’s the first telecast that is expected to have a host, multiple performers or presenters appear on one stage since the Oscars in February.
Things are still fluid for the show, but in a statement, MTV noted, “Show producers alongside Barclays Center management have been working closely with state and local officials to implement best practices for everyone involved. Among the measures all parties involved have aligned on include extensive social distancing procedures, meaningful capacity limitations and the virtualization of components where possible.”
The VMAs will also feature performances from various iconic locations throughout Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, The Bronx, and Staten Island, to honor the spirit and resilience of New York. We’re not sure what is an iconic locale on the latter, but open to being pleasantly surprised.
It’s unclear if any acts will be comfortable performing in front of even a small crowd with masks, but the prospect of real backdrops and a production stage setting will no doubt appeal to numerous acts who have not been able to promote their music in any manner but virtually over the past four months. It’s also worth noting by the time the VMAs occur, the NBA, NHL and MLS will be broadcasting games live without crowds in attendance.
The 2020 MTV Video Music Awards will air on numerous Viacom channels on August 30.