You might not think a music festival would be a competitor for the World Series of Poker, but you also might be wrong. We'll find that out this coming fall.
The Electric Daisy Carnival, more commonly referred to as EDC, is one of the biggest music festivals in the U.S. The electronic dance music festival, which attracts hundreds of thousands of patrons each year, typically takes place in late May. Last year's event, like most 2020 events in Las Vegas, was canceled due to COVID-19.
This year however, EDC is back and was originally planed for its usual May slot. But Pasquale Rotella, EDC's founder, recently announced the show is being moved to October.
"I am sorry to say that EDC Las Vegas needs to move to October. I want to thank everyone who has put their heart and soul into this show—the Insomniac team, artists, agents, managers, production crews, the Las Vegas Motor Speedway staff, the government officials who supported us, and most importantly, you, the Headliners," Rotella wrote in a public statement on Instagram.
The festival is being moved to October, as Rotella said in his statement, because of continued COVID-19 restrictions in Clark County, home to Las Vegas. Clark County recently announced that large gatherings of 20,000 or more won't be permitted until at least 60% of the local population ages 16 and over have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. As of Monday April 19, approximately 43% of the county met that criteria.
Health experts don't anticipate reaching the 60% threshold until at least June 1, meaning EDC is a no-go for May. On a positive note for concertgoers, temperatures in Las Vegas are more pleasant in October than May, so there's that.
Problems for the WSOP?
Nicer weather certainly isn't a bad thing for those attending EDC, but the move could have a negative impact for poker players and the WSOP. This year's World Series of Poker, for the same reasons EDC was moved to the fall, will run September 30 to November 23 at the Rio in Las Vegas.
During the three days EDC is in town, that overlap could cause some problems. First off, hotel rates always skyrocket during EDC and it's often difficult to find a place to stay on the Strip as EDC brings so many tourists to town. It may be wise for poker players to book their entire stay in Las Vegas as early as possible, especially now that EDC is going to be around for part of the series.
On top of that, the Electric Daisy Carnival might take some poker players away from the Rio for a few days. Many poker players enjoy the music genre and attend the festival each year. Considering that last year's EDC was canceled, it's likely fans of the electronic music festival will be even more excited than normal to attend. That could hurt attendance at the World Series of Poker.
Fall is a great time to be in Las Vegas because of the gorgeous weather and numerous entertainment options available. But the new timeslot could be a detriment to the 2021 WSOP when it comes to attendance. And, for poker players, it could lead to more expensive hotel rooms. Las Vegas hotel rates are typically at their lowest in the summer months because tourism is down compared to other times throughout the year.
Featured image source: Twitter
