The 2020 MTV VMAs will remain in New York but will be held outside ‘with limited or no audience’

One of the music industry’s biggest events of the year has had to scale back plans at the last minute, for reasons that are all too familiar.

As seen in Page Six, the MTV Video Music Awards will not take place at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York as initially planned, instead taking the festivities outdoors as a precaution against the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

The news was announced Friday, with just over three weeks left until the August 30th show.

The decision was reached mutually between both MTV and representatives from the large Barclays venue, who said in a statement:  

‘The 2020 VMAs will be held on Sunday, Aug. 30 and pay homage to the incredible resiliency of New York with several outdoor performances around [the city] with limited or no audience, adhering to all state and city guidelines.  

‘In close consultation with state and local health officials‎, it became clear at this time that outdoor performances with limited or no audience would be more feasible and safer than an indoor event,’ the statement continued.

‘The VMAs will highlight the boroughs in an exciting show and return to Barclays Center in 2021. MTV will continue to work closely with the Department of Health, state and local officials, the medical community, and key stakeholders to ensure the safety of all involved,’ the missive concluded.

The annual music video awards show was initially scheduled to take place at Barclays with ‘limited or no audience’ in accordance with authorities and New York governor Andrew Cuomo in light of the pandemic. 

Page Six reports that a source revealed earlier this week that some MTV staffers had expressed their concerns with going ahead with the show indoors, but a separate source said the move to take the event outside was due to general safety factors.

The event, meanwhile is to be hosted by Hustlers star Keke Palmer.

The 26-year-old actress revealed she will emcee the upcoming music awards ceremony on her Instagram account, where she shared a video of herself asking her iconic character True Jackson – whom she played in ‘True Jackson, VP’ from 2008 to 2011 – for style tips ahead of her hosting job.

She wrote alongside the clip: ‘I heard y’all was tired of 2020, let’s go back to 2008.

‘Join me as I host the 2020 @vmas on August 30th on @MTV! #VMAs.’

The VMAs will feature performances from the likes of Doja Cat and J Balvin, as well as a debut performance from South Korean boy band BTS, who will be performing their new English-language single ‘Dynamite’.

BTS – made up of RM, Jin, SUGA, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook – have been nominated for awards in the Best Pop, Best K-Pop, and Best Choreography categories for their hit single ‘ON’.

But leading the nominations with nine nods each are Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande.

The 34-year-old Chromatica singer and the ‘7 Rings’ hitmaker, 27, have seven joint nominations for their collaborative track ‘Rain On Me’, which is up for Video of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Collaboration, Best Pop, Best Cinematography, Best Visual Effects, and Best Choreography.

Gaga is also nominated for Artist of the Year and Best Quarantine Performance, whilst Ariana will battle it out with herself in the Best Collaboration category, and has a ninth nod in the Best Music Video From Home shortlist.

Ariana has no nominations for any solo awards, as her two nods which aren’t with Gaga are for her sweet Justin Bieber quarantine-themed collaboration, ‘Stuck with U’.