ASM Global manages the Saroyan Theatre, Fresno Convention Center, Savemart Center and Selland Arena. It anticipates a strong 2022 events calendar as postponed shows are fulfilled. Image via ASM Global

Two years into the pandemic — and despite the most recent surge — event managers have a positive outlook for 2022.

ASM Global, a venue manager based in Los Angeles, manages the Saroyan Theatre, Fresno Convention Center, Save Mart Center and Selland Arena.

Ron Bension, ASM Global president and CEO, said the events industry has endured peaks and valleys.

“In general, the pandemic has been somewhat of a rollercoaster,” Bension said.

In the first six months of the pandemic, venues shut down completely, followed by sporadic openings and closings with limited capacity from that point forward.

During that time, Bension said there was an uptick in drive-in, outdoor events. Around July 2021, people — both venue operators and consumers — started to be more confident in booking events and purchasing tickets.

But many events in the market today are rescheduled shows — some dating from spring and summer 2020.

“Literally there are people who have had tickets in their pocket for over two years for shows,” Bension said.

Rescheduled shows also run the risk of not filling every seat, as audience members might not be available on the new performance dates.

“There’s a no-show factor that’s far greater than the newer shows,” Bension said.

Everything was going along quite well until early December when the Omicron variant showed up. Some cancellations have occurred, but it’s been very soft in the US, Bension said. ASM Global manages more than 300 venues around the world in five different countries. Bension noted Australia and Asia are further behind event recovery than most countries. He predicts they will see a return to significant business later in the third and fourth quarters of this year.

“The US is leading the world in a return back to live,” Bension said.

Fresno specifically runs both convention and live event spaces. At the Saroyan Theatre, a strong lineup of Riverdance, Kenny G and Hamilton are all coming by April. Public excitement for the Hamilton run is very high, according to ASM Global. Ticket sales are strong with less than 15% of capacity left to sell.

“It’s got an incredible calendar. I wish all of our venues around the globe had the calendar that the Saroyan has,” he said.

Though fan favorites like Hamilton are still weeks away, the Omicron variant has disrupted other events in the Valley.

Just last week, Roger Rocka’s Dinner Theater announced on its Facebook page that it is postponing the opening of Good Company Players’ production of “Guys and Dolls” to Jan. 20.

Laurie Pessano, creative director, said the postponement was due to a few positive Covid-19 tests a couple days apart.

“We’ve been really cautious. We have more stringent requirements,” Pessano said.

Employees and audience members must be vaccinated and wearing masks when not eating or drinking, and performers wear masks during rehearsals.

“Our stringent policies served us very well up until Omicron, it looks like,” she said.

“Omicron is, I think, a different animal.”

However the staff have recovered very quickly due to being fully vaccinated, she said.

But the company’s priority has always been the safety of employees and patrons.

“It’s been brutal quite frankly,” Pessano said.

The company has stocked up on rapid tests, and has paid staff while recovering from Covid. There is also much more paperwork and time involved to keep informed on the latest policies. It proves to be hugely time consuming, and she said time is money. But keeping people safe has always been more important for the company.

“It’s costly, but how costly is it to lose people,” Pessano said.

Pessano says they’re in business for several reasons, community support being the biggest. People have written donation checks out of the blue, kept their season tickets without requesting refunds and started a GoFundMe.

Good Company Players worked hard to apply for any financial assistance that it could, including Paycheck Protection Program loans, Economic Injury Disaster Loan, and arts grants from the City of Fresno.

The PPP loan kept its staff working for as long as possible at the beginning of the pandemic.

While Pessano says there’s a lull in show business because of Covid, she feels optimistic about the year ahead.

Barring all the unknowns of the pandemic, Bension also believes that events will see a good year after a soft first quarter because of the Covid surge. He believes that 2023 and 2024 will be even bigger years because rescheduled shows won’t take up dates after 2022.

“I think people are ready to get out. I think they’re excited,” Pessano said.