It’s happening! The MTV Video Music Awards are a go. Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York made the announcement during his Monday (June 29) press briefing, telling viewers that the annual ceremony would be held in Brooklyn.
As the governor announced that New York City would be entering Phase III of reopening on July 6, he shared the unexpected news. “The Video Music Awards are going to be held Sunday, August 30, at Barclays Center,” he said.
The slide displayed at the time also noted that “the event will follow all safety guidance, including limited or no audience.”
Billboard has reached out to MTV for comment.
In May, MTV told Billboard in a statement that they were looking into the possibility of safely holding the event live. “We’re exploring with government officials, the medical community, and key stakeholders on how to safely hold the 2020 VMAs at Barclays Center,” an MTV spokesperson said at the time. “The health of everyone involved remains our No. 1 priority. Additionally, we are working on several contingency plans to bring music’s biggest night to audiences everywhere.”
At the time, New York was the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic. Since then, the state has significantly reduced the number of new infections, and has been gradually reopening. Meanwhile, cases of COVID-19 have been spiking elsewhere around the country.
Watch Cuomo’s VMAs announcement, which begins at roughly the 12:30 mark:
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