The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in Cleveland, Ohio has been postponed amid the coronavirus pandemic. The annual ceremony was scheduled to take place at Cleveland’s Public Hall on May 2 to recognize the 2020 class of honorees, which include Nine Inch Nails, Depeche Mode, The Doobie Brothers, T-Rex, Notorious B.I.G., and Whitney Houston.
“We are very disappointed to announce the postponement of this year’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony,” Rock and Roll Hall of Fame President Joel Peresman said in a statement, according to Rolling Stone. “Our first concern is to the health and safety of our attendees and artists and we are complying to the direction of the local and state authorities and common sense. We look forward to rescheduling the ceremony and will make that announcement at the earliest convenience.”
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A statement shared on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s website further explained that the decision to postpone the event came after Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine requested organizations to refrain from large gatherings. The state currently has five confirmed cases of COVID-19, prompting DeWine to take a number of precautionary measures to slow the spread, including the closure of all K-12 schools in the state. It has also been reported that DeWine plans to issue a public order limiting mass gatherings of people.
“The health and safety of our fans and visitors is our highest priority,” the statement to the organization’s website reads. “Given recent news regarding coronavirus and the urging by Ohio Governor Mike DeWine regarding large public gatherings, we have made the decision to postpone the 2020 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and Induction Week festivities until later this year.”
The statement added that further details, including the new date for the ceremony as well as ticket information, “will be announced shortly and shared directly with ticket holders and supporters.”
“Thank you for your ongoing support of our mission to engage, teach, and inspire through the power of rock & roll,” it continued. “We look forward to welcoming you at the Museum and to honoring our 2020 Inductees with you later this year.”
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony is just the latest event to be impacted by the coronavirus outbreak. Originally scheduled to take place on the weekends of April 10 to 12 and April 17 to 19, the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival has been postponed until the weekends of Oct. 9 to 11 and Oct. 16 to 18.
A number of performers have also postponed their tours, with movie premieres also being pushed back. The global outbreak has also impacted sports, with the NBA announcing earlier this week that the remainder of the season would be suspended.
