Organizers of Superbooth 2020, scheduled to be held April 23-25 in Berlin, have announced that there are currently no plans to cancel the event over concerns about the Coronavirus epidemic.
The Coronavirus epidemic has resulted in travel to some countries being restricted. The US has restricted travel to multiple countries, including China, Italy, Iran & South Korea.
In addition, several high-profile conferences scheduled for this spring have been cancelled, including Facebook F8, Google News Initiative Summit and the Game Developers Conference.
Superbooth organizers note that they are keeping careful watch on news and will adjust plans accordingly.
Here’s their official statement:
Statement about Corona
Due to the current situation in the world regarding the Coronavirus, we were asked to state our point of view about this topic.
With SUPERBOOTH20 starting in about 8 weeks from now, we prefer to rely on facts rather than speculations about the future. Please check Robert Koch Institute in Berlin for further information (German/English).
Without any carelessness about health or risks, we basically are very careful with the daily news spreading and panic producing sensational reports. We are observing the development, but can not say how the situation will change in the coming weeks. If we have the impression that we should act in any way, we will do so. By now we can only say, the situation in Berlin is safe and we do not want to be part of any speculations.
As long as there is no official ban by the authorities, we have decided to keep on working on the finalization of this year’s Superbooth.
I bet winter NAMM 2021 will be canceled because of Corona.
ach, herr schneider… it is way to early to say that any gathering of that size will be happening in april. nick batt and his team won´t come if their hotel is closed due to corona. so don´t speculate.
As a smaller event, they’re at the mercy of whatever the conditions on their insurance policy are. If they voluntarily cancel it, they are on the hook for the losses. An official request/order to cancel would shift the liability to their insurance company. One large-scale international events like this, insurance companies depend on reinsurance companies (insurance for insurance, basically) and those reinsurance companies are discreetly backed by national governments.
Large conferences like GDC, F8 etc. have greater financial backing and can also negotiate with their insurers for favorable terms or self-insure through issuance of a corporate bond. Smaller event mangers have to choose from what’s available in the market and due to the once-a-year nature of their operation rather than year-round economic activity, are less incentivized or informed about insuring against relatively unpredictable risks like pandemics.
Very bad idea.
Medical professionals don’t seem to be panicking. My wife’s an MD and attending a large conference in Phoenix this week. They won’t shake as many hands and will have purell dispensers around the conf. Also probably 100% of the attendees have had their flu shots as you usually have to when you work in a hospital. Meanwhile my job (a gigantic real estate company) has instead gone to Defcon BS level and cancelled everything. My wife thought that was extreme. I just plan on staying home and playing with my synths as much as possible!
Lots of knobs to tweak, all coated in other people’s germs… but maybe there’s a killer frequency that will annihilate the virus 🙂
Lick the knobs to prove you have faith in Synthius. Synthius will protect the faithful. Good luck.
It works in Qom.
The brown note certainly would
They just shut down GDC, the game developers conference in SF. Like a Comic Con for Game Developers. ITs massive. Not shutting down a venue where many people from many places congregate in one location and are in close proximity to each other is a big risk. Best case scenario, everyone is fine. Most are taking this as serious as climate change so no surprise there. We only like science when its good news and innovation.
No one knows what the situation will be like in late April, what they plan now doesn’t mean much.
Blah blah
ITB fair in Berlin was cancelled.
That’s the sensible thing to do.
but lets see the good side of sars 2.0: its stopping earth warming and trumps reelection, because were facing a new economic crisis. isnt that a deal for just 2 percent mortality rate? there is no free lunch.
mathematical it will be on the peak of infections …
this is the link they posted. what i understand is the opposite what they say?1
https://www.rki.de/DE/Content/InfAZ/N/Neuartiges_Coronavirus/Kontaktreduzierung.html
Access Music will be showcasing their new TI3 series… bad timing 🙁
Yeah we don’t really need another new Virus now do we?
Maybe the access virus will kick the corona virus’ a$$.
Techno is it true or wishful thinking? The public need to know.
“…By now we can only say, the situation in Berlin is safe and we do not want to be part of any speculations.”
Well lots of trade shows are being cancelled wolrdwide. So who is speculating now?
They don’t know if it’s safe. Period!
It’s a terrible statement considering how fast the virus is spreading and scientist still not sure how easily people can get effected.
I rather read a statement saying that Superbooth might be canceled if needed and not pretend there is no risk.
Just because Superbooth is happening doesn’t mean we have to attend this year.
I wouldn’t be surprised if a lot of people pull out of attending, so even if they decide not to cancel there may not be many people there. It also really depends on how the situation develops over the next month.
I’m afraid even if SuperBooth takes place, many visitors and exhibitors will not be able to attend because of travel restrictions and the risk of being stuck in quarantine when returning home. Germany is becoming a European hot spot, Japan already quarantines travelers arriving from Germany. Musikmesse, Buchmesse, ITB and many other events have been cancelled. It doesn’t look good.
Now its official. German Health Minister said no to Major events (>1000 people.)
https://www.sueddeutsche.de/politik/coronavirus-spahn-grossveranstaltungen-1.4836673