Robert MacPherson/AFP via Getty Images
If this coronavirus doesn’t kill us all, it seems many are prepared to off each other for the injustices we bestow on one another in the viruses wake.
Austin music and arts festival SXSW not only announced that it would be cancelling the 2020 event, but it would not be issuing refunds to those who bought passes. Festival organizers have been informed that 2020 passes can be deferred for entry to the 2021, 2022, or 2023 editions of the festival, but no refunds of any kind would be paid.
For SXSW 2019 the ticket prices range from $825 to $1150 (for early tickets) for the 10-day interactive, film and music festival.
How was anyone suppose to predict an epidemic canceling @sxsw when buying tickets last year. This no refund policy needs to take into consideration that the event was cancelled by the city and a lot of people didn’t decide to cancel their tickets. @sxsw please update your policy. pic.twitter.com/NwljLSkoBZ
— Jillian (@JillianChili) March 9, 2020
Via the SXSW website:
SXSW does not issue refunds under any circumstances. Any and all payments made to SXSW are not refundable for any reason, including, without limitation, failure to use Credentials due to illness, acts of God, travel-related problems, acts of terrorism, loss of employment and/or duplicate purchases. SXSW will not issue refunds for Credentials that have been revoked.
Oh, and this:
Massive layoffs at #SXSW. Many friends fired without severance. This will hurt.
— Brently Heilbron (@Brently) March 9, 2020
As you can imagine, people who have secured tickets, lodging, and airfare weren’t pumped about having coronavirus sail them up Shit’s Creek and SXSW refusing to throw them a paddle.
Step 1: Plan massive festival.
Step 2: Cancel massive festival.
Step 3: Refuse refunds.
Step 4: Profit.#SXSWFyreFestivalhttps://t.co/ERAS4TFwXq— Jake Griffin (@DHJakeGriffin) March 10, 2020
I’m ashamed of @sxsw – as citizens from the city it’s fucking horrific you wouldn’t refund tickets to hard working people around the world who wanted to support you. Good luck coming back from this.
— MISSIO (@MissioMusic) March 10, 2020
https://twitter.com/LinzDeFranco/status/1236055135744184320?s=20
https://twitter.com/carleyloakley/status/1237447790286065665?s=20
sxsw ain’t offering refunds!?!?! pic.twitter.com/v958SJsXYv
— FOOL’S GOLD OUT NOW! (@langstonbleu) March 10, 2020
Hey @sxsw are you going to do what's right and offer people who have bought badges refunds, given all of the high profile cancelations, with no doubt many more to come?
Traveling from the other side of the world to risk one's health and see a shadow of what #SXSW is about sucks
— Steve Glaveski (@SteveGlaveski) March 4, 2020
Oof.
Head up, SXSW. You could always be Coachella, who was just murdered.
Coachella should postpone itself until it stops sucking
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 10, 2020