The postponement of the Tokyo Olympics in 2020 was a major indication of the extent of the pandemic’s impact on events worldwide. The Games had not been affected since World War II, when they were cancelled, and they have never before been postponed.
The 2020 Olympics will move forward at the end of the month as scheduled, but the atmosphere will be far from normal due to a lack of spectators in most venues, which is also a first for the event. International attendees had already been banned for several months, but the Games were still set to go ahead at 50% capacity.
However, Japan announced a state of emergency for Tokyo last week, which took effect on Monday, and which will ban even domestic fans from venues in the city. "It is regrettable that we are delivering the Games in a very limited format, facing the spread of coronavirus infections,” said Tokyo 2020 President Seiko Hashimoto after the decision was made.
Other prefectures that were seemingly still going to allow a limited number of spectators, such as Fukushima and Hokkaido, have since announced that they will be banning all spectators as well, in an effort to keep people from traveling from Covid-affected areas.
In the US, the pandemic is quickly becoming ancient history as large-scale meetings return and fans once again pack into crowded arenas for live shows. However, cases are beginning to rise again in certain areas as the delta variant remains a threat, and much of the world lags behind when it comes to vaccinations and reopening.
The decision of the Olympic committee to ban spectators in most venues is a clear signal that the industry is not out of the woods yet, and that restrictions and regulations can still change on a dime. And as international travel remains limited, there is no doubt that virtual and hybrid strategies, as well as more local events, will be key moving forward.