Professional sports leagues around the world are slowly resuming play during the coronavirus pandemic. Festivals and awards ceremonies continue to announce new delays. And now, as New York City expects to reopen some businesses, MTV has said it’s looking into holding the VMAs on August 30, according to a report from Variety.
“We’re exploring with government officials, the medical community, and key stakeholders on how to safely hold the 2020 VMAs at Barclays Center on August 30th,” an MTV rep told the trade. “The health of everyone involved is our number one priority. Additionally, we are working on several contingency plans to bring music’s biggest night to audiences everywhere.”
According to Variety, earlier this week MTV sent some prominent agents and reps save-the-date notices, which indicated that the event would stick to its traditional format (awards, performances, antics, maybe a comedy routine), but a source said the network was looking into an audience-free show and virtual performances. Last year’s VMAs in Newark featured hordes of teens around the stage and music-industry members seated among a packed Prudential Center. If MTV proceeds with the plan under consideration, it’s unclear what would actually take place inside Brooklyn’s Barclays Center, but the hope seems to be to beam all of what could remain of the old VMAs right into your home.
More Great Stories From Vanity Fair
— Prince Harry’s Quarantine Lament: The Ex-Royal Is Reportedly Feeling a Little Sad in L.A.
— Astronaut Jessica Meir Returns Home to a “Completely Different Planet”
— Can a New Book Finally Settle the Feud Rumors Between Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton?
— This Is What Swedish Chefs Learned While Keeping Their Restaurants Open in the Pandemic
— Even Stephen King Thinks We’re Living in a Stephen King Book
— A Pandemic Won’t Kill the Open Office, but Slack Could
— From the Archive: The Lonely Heir, an Inside Look at Prince Charles’s Childhood
Looking for more? Sign up for our daily newsletter and never miss a story.