OCEAN CITY – An agreement between Ocean City and the OC Air Show was derailed this week amid a debate about the profit-sharing plan for the event’s live-stream.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the city and the air show, set for June 19-20, is typically an innocuous chore needed to be completed before the event that carefully spells out each party’s responsibilities. However, this year the MOU approval became more complicated because of some of the language in the 2021 document, especially regarding the profit-sharing of advertising sales revenue from the event’s live stream.
Last year, the air show was postponed in June, with the promise to revisit the event if and when COVID-19 restrictions eased to the point it could be pulled off successfully. It was later scheduled for mid-August, but ongoing COVID restrictions limited large gatherings, essentially eliminating the traditional show center on the beach near 15th Street.
Instead, the 2020 air show – limited to just Saturday due to poor weather — was live-streamed with narration and music choreographed to the action in the skies, allowing people to enjoy the show from afar and hotel and condo balconies, for example. The live-stream was a critical success, although it is uncertain if it was a financial win, given the short timeframe the promoter’s third-party provider had to gain sponsors and sell advertising.
One would with OC’s problems were not that simple. Consider this:
a. There are only 2 bus drivers (and buses) that provide OC service on Coastal Hwy.
b. Park N’ Ride has been shut down as well as the outlet/shopper services.
c. With only 2 signifiant Transportation managers remaining 1 is gone and the other is already planning his retirement.
d. One of the largest segments of the bus ridership has been J1 visa workers but they have been missing
e. Item d is about to change.
f. DEMAND for public transportation will be changing shortly
g. Rule by committee from the Council has not and never will work.
h. Chaos….
Hahahaha…Rickie tiny time screwing up easy revenue again. Hahahaha we enjoy a great laugh Rick…..it will end Nov 2022.