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Baltimore Comic-Con will Still be a 3 day con, Oct 23-25, 2020
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Started by FlyingDonut,

38 posts in this topic

mysterio

mysterio

Posted
Posted
On 8/27/2020 at 8:43 AM, wombat said:

As far as I can see there is zero mention on their main website about Covid. If they aren't going to offer full refunds at this point that is very shady in my opinion. 

Normally I’d agree, but if the convention center rolls the con’s money over to 2021 then that puts the con in a sticky spot. I’ve seen several shows in that position, but if requested they usually do process refunds on a case by case basis. 

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wombat

wombat

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1 hour ago, mysterio said:

Normally I’d agree, but if the convention center rolls the con’s money over to 2021 then that puts the con in a sticky spot. I’ve seen several shows in that position, but if requested they usually do process refunds on a case by case basis. 

They are saying on facebook they have doubts it will happen. To keep taking money without mentioning that on the main site is shady as far as I'm concerned. 

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Fan Boy

Fan Boy

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Posted

Well, it was obvious given that the Baltimore convention place was used as medical centre with no idea when it will be over. And that the Governor Hogan in March of this year, had already announced this fact. That hasn’t changed since. So that sealed down the hopes of having Baltimore Comic Con for good.

It’s the authority of the governor that is higher ... none of us can overcome it when it comes to everyone’s safety in health. :sorry:

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wombat

wombat

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Posted

Just shocking I tell you. Officially cancelled and no refunds. 

 

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - September 10, 2020 - The Baltimore Comic-Con is excited to make a number of announcements regarding our 2020 event. Launching in cooperation with our friends at Mainframe Comic-Con, our 2020 show will be held as an online live event, replicating the comic convention you've come to love for these past 20 years but in a virtual environment! The Baltimore Convention Center has now confirmed that they will not be hosting any gatherings for the remainder of the calendar year while they continue services as a COVID testing center, as well as maintaining a COVID field hospital facility capability, housing hospital beds to support another surge should that occur. Since we cannot get together physically in 2020, our exhibitors, retailers, Artists Alley, guests, the Ringo Awards, and programming will transition to our online live event, enabling fans the world over to experience the Baltimore Comic-Con!

We will be making announcements on our mailing list (available at baltimorecomiccon.com) and social media, so please sign up and follow! If you're a regular attendee, you'll find yourself in a familiar environment. If you've never been able to attend (especially since geography and budget are no longer considerations), this is a great opportunity to come and get a taste of the show!

TICKETS

All tickets purchased for the 2020 event will automatically transfer to our October 22-24, 2021 show. Frank Miller Tickets will transfer as well -- Frank has already confirmed his plan to attend in 2021. Additionally, our friends at AfterShock Comics, Source Point Press, and Valiant Entertainment have each donated $10 vouchers for ticket holders to purchase merchandise at their booths in 2021. Ticket holders will also receive comics and trade paperback/graphic novels electronically this year -- Dark Ark Volume 1 and Animosity Volume 1 from AfterShock Comics, The Damnation of Charlie Wormwood TPB and DEK Volume 2 #1 from Source Point Press, and Bloodshot Book One TPB and X-O Manowar #1 from Valiant Entertainment. Additionally, BOOM! Studios will be providing PDFs of The Woods Volume 1 and Wynd issue #1, both by James Tynion IV and Michael Dialynas.

Funds received from ticket (as well as from exhibitor booth sales) enable the continuity of our show, paying for real costs such as the rental of the Baltimore Convention Center, ongoing operations expenses, and costs associated with marketing activities as examples. If you are suffering from a financial hardship due to the pandemic and simply cannot justify the wait until next year, we will do our best to issue refunds on a case-by-case basis, which may take us time to do (we hope you don't choose that option, as we want to see everyone in 2021!). We appreciate your understanding and patience.

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Buzzetta

Buzzetta

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On 8/29/2020 at 12:40 PM, wombat said:

They are saying on facebook they have doubts it will happen. To keep taking money without mentioning that on the main site is shady as far as I'm concerned. 

That's what ticketmaster tried.  There was something in the agreement that said that they did not have to automatically refund if it was "postponed", only if it was cancelled.

They caught hell for that this past spring.   

Eventually they refunded. 

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revat

revat

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Its appalling that they're not automatically issuing refunds (or at least having a way to easily request it).  I would hope that most people would go through their credit card companies to initiate (if the timing hasn't lapsed).  Either way anyone getting screwed should blast them up and down all over social media (and real media), heck they can even get political (I won't), but this is a legit reasonable question to ask someone who is running for something.

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1Cool

1Cool

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On 9/18/2020 at 4:28 PM, revat said:

Its appalling that they're not automatically issuing refunds (or at least having a way to easily request it).  I would hope that most people would go through their credit card companies to initiate (if the timing hasn't lapsed).  Either way anyone getting screwed should blast them up and down all over social media (and real media), heck they can even get political (I won't), but this is a legit reasonable question to ask someone who is running for something.

Unless you can't make the dates next year or really, really need the cash - what harm is there in pushing in back a year?  Would you still push for the refund if it meant the promoter loses his shirt and the Con goes under and doesn't come back.  There are reasons that you may need your cash rather then a credit but considering the situation I've been very forgiving and just accept the credit when it comes to these things.

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revat

revat

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8 minutes ago, 1Cool said:
On ‎9‎/‎18‎/‎2020 at 1:28 PM, revat said:

Its appalling that they're not automatically issuing refunds (or at least having a way to easily request it).  I would hope that most people would go through their credit card companies to initiate (if the timing hasn't lapsed).  Either way anyone getting screwed should blast them up and down all over social media (and real media), heck they can even get political (I won't), but this is a legit reasonable question to ask someone who is running for something.

Unless you can't make the dates next year or really, really need the cash - what harm is there in pushing in back a year?  Would you still push for the refund if it meant the promoter loses his shirt and the Con goes under and doesn't come back.  There are reasons that you may need your cash rather then a credit but considering the situation I've been very forgiving and just accept the credit when it comes to these things.

I get that perspective, it sounds like you're saying "I don't need the $50-$200 right this minute (it was already kinda luxury spending anyways), if I can help keep the promoter from being bankrupt in the middle of a historic pandemic (thus making it easier for the convention to come back  in the future and to perhaps keep of some that promoter's staff paid in the interim), that seems reasonable."  I personally am not saying that's the wrong way to look at things, I just don't see things that way, and not because I need the money back right now.

From my perspective, there is a very real possibility that many many companies go bankrupt soon and cannot pay off their liabilities.  If you think your $50-$200 might save someone from bankruptcy, that means the threat of bankruptcy is very real, and the possibility that the customers do not get there money back is very real, as they will not be first line of creditors.  So to me in looks like the people who should be the priority of the promoter (the customers), are being made to jump through hoops to get refunds in the middle of a historic pandemic should they want/need them.  I'm not saying its illegal or unethical, and these are unprecedented times.  I get that.  But it should be made to be a fairly easy and obvious option to get refunds in my opinion.  I'd say the cash on hand isn't worth angering my customers and getting the bad publicity, unless I was really desperate.  In which case people should definitely try to get their money back.

As an aside, I also think that there will be a huge swath of people who previously bought tickets who will not want to go to a comic convention in 2021, for any number of reasons.  Not to mention, the guests lineup should be significantly different (so not the same people), the economy completely different, people won't be as willing to travel, and the whole situation is really too open ended to plan a year in advance.  I'd rather owe a bunch of money to 1 bank than owe a little money to a bunch of customers who paid me for a service that I cannot reasonably expect to provide within a year (note that this liability would also be an albatross to anyone reviewing the financials as well, even if it meant an equivalent amount of cash on hand).  

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wombat

wombat

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35 minutes ago, 1Cool said:

Unless you can't make the dates next year or really, really need the cash - what harm is there in pushing in back a year?  Would you still push for the refund if it meant the promoter loses his shirt and the Con goes under and doesn't come back.  There are reasons that you may need your cash rather then a credit but considering the situation I've been very forgiving and just accept the credit when it comes to these things.

They were still selling tickets when they absolutely knew it wasn't going to happen and made no mention of the return policy. That is straight up shady. 

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