Two years ago, San Diego Comic-Con got canceled for the first time, thanks to Covid. Last year, it was held exclusively online via streaming. In 2022, SDCC made its triumphant return into the entertainment world’s eye! There was only one problem: they didn’t stream enough of the panels.
San Diego Comic-Con has become one of the main hubs for announcements in the entertainment industry. New shows, upcoming movies, Q&A sessions with stars. It’s a Mecca for geeks everywhere! The problem is, it’s also notoriously difficult to get into. Tickets will sell like hotcakes, so people must be fast or have the right connections. As a result, millions of fans are unable to experience the hype of the big announcements live. They’re forced to jump across social media and gather whatever scraps of news come out to understand what’s happening.
While it was not ideal for people at the time, in hindsight, streaming the remote panels for SDCC last year might have been a good idea. It allowed anyone to listen in as they got news about whatever geeky itch they needed to scratch. That’s a nice change of pace, especially for those whose job centers around reporting entertainment news, such as the Game of Nerds.
I was eagerly looking forward to watching several panels from SDCC this year. Reporting on them last year was a lot of fun and felt important. More importantly, it gave millions the chance to actively watch events that you’d normally have to spend hundreds in expenses to see. So, choosing to forgo streaming any panels doesn’t just make Comic-Con feel more exclusive. It could end up being counter-productive.
Streaming Comic-Con. It Makes Business Sense.
In the age of Internet streaming, brands need to reach consumers in the best way possible. Since people will be live-tweeting the panels as they happen, the argument on keeping things secret’s a moot point. It would be better to let everyone watch it, in-person or online; that would mean far more hype. In addition, Comic-Con organizers could make millions off the ad revenue from streaming. That alone should be an incentive.
The fact is, after getting Comic-Con via streaming for two years, the fans like it. Nothing will beat going to a convention in person, hanging out with friends, and buying stuff from vendors. However, streaming the panels will make SDCC far more accessible to the public, and could make more money. It’s a win-win situation, so why not?
