Six Wizard World Shows Acquired By Fan Expo HQ
News broke this morning that Fan Expo HQ, who run Fan Expo Canada, Megacon Orlando, Fan Expo Dallas, and more, have purchased and will take over six of Wizard World’s events. These six events are Wizard’s largest: Philadelphia, New Orleans, Portland, St. Louis, Cleveland and Chicago.
As ICV2‘s Milton Griepp reports:
Fan Expo will honor “all prior commitments with fans, exhibitor, and artisans” at its rebranded shows, the companies said in the announcement. Wizard World will operate its Chicago convention this year, currently scheduled for October 15-17.
The deal with Wizard World will bring Fan Expo HQ’s North American geek culture show count to 17, which it says will make it the largest producer of fan conventions in the world. The company, a subsidiary of event giant Informa, has doubled down during the global Covid pandemic, also acquiring the Denver Pop Culture Con and announcing a major new show at the Moscone Center in San Francisco for 2022.
Wizard World has been having financial difficulties for years, and the pandemic appears to have been the final nail in their coffin in the convention scene.
Via ICV2
