Since the year 2000, the Grammy Awards have traditionally been hosted from the Staples Center in Los Angeles with just a couple exceptions: In 2003 and 2018, the ceremony took place at Madison Square Garden in New York City. It looks like 2021 will be another year where the recently postponed Grammys won’t take place at the Staples Center, as interim Recording Academy president/CEO Harvey Mason Jr. suggested during a new interview with Variety.
When asked if the Academy considered moving the awards out of LA this year, Mason responded, “Absolutely — there was talk about everything. We went through every scenario: other cities, other times, other types of shows, and no, it does not have to be in LA. We’ll continue to evaluate over the next weeks.” When later pressed for more specifics about where the show will be, he explained that while plans are still subject to change, the LA Convention Center is the most likely option as of now:
“I don’t mind sharing, but remember this has the ability to adjust as we get closer to our date. The plan for January was to be in and around the LA Convention Center, which is right next door to the Staples Center — there’s room there for indoor and outdoor activity. Going forward, we’re going to stick to that plan, as of now, and we’ll monitor the situation and adjust accordingly. But we just want to make sure that whatever we do, it is responsible and safe, and that will be what determines our creative.”
In the interview, Mason did not address the scheduling conflict the ceremony’s rescheduled date, March 14, has created with the SAG Awards, a conflict that has peeved SAG Awards organizers.
Read the full interview here.