20 V I D E O A G E October 2022 I t took NATPE 180 days (until June 28, 2022) to finally confirm VideoAge’s December 2021 exclusive report that NATPE 2023 was to change venues, and move from Miami, Florida to the Baha Mar resort in Nassau, Bahamas. The move wasn’t without controversy, starting with the secrecy surrounding the move, which left executives speculating as to what the future of the TV trade show—which, since its first edition in 1979, had always been held in the U.S. — was going to look like. This Bahamas venue would be the second big move for NATPE, the first big move was in 2011, when a drastically reduced presence in Las Vegas led to the Miami Beach relocation. This secondmove to Nassau is reportedly happening as an attempt to address issues caused by the high costs of organizing the event at the Miami Beach Fontainebleau. However, this move looks riskier than the first one because, when the market went to Miami, it merely followed its natural evolution into a Latin-basedmarket. With the Bahamas move, NATPE is setting foot onto another foreign land (in addition to NATPE Budapest), possibly drastically changing its LATAM-centric DNA. “NATPE used to represent the National Association of Television Program Executives, and now they are no longer National”, said one former studio executive who now works as an independent producer in Miami. Nonetheless, the new Baha Mar venue in Nassau was soon applauded by some industry players, including the Miami, Florida-based Dianne Bissoon of the Bahamas-based Cable and Wireless, which launched the Lime TV service in 16 Caribbean islands in 2019. “The Grand Hyatt [in the complex called] Baha Mar is a perfect place for conventions”, she said. “I always stay there when I’m in the Bahamas.” However, there are some pressing issues related to the new venue. First are the high costs to participants. Second is the fact that there are only a few direct flights to Nassau and that most connections are through Miami. And third is the competition from both MIPCOM in Cannes and MIP Cancun, both of which are organized by RX France. On May 25, NATPE organized a visit to the Baha Mar complex for executives from nine potential exhibitors fromNewYorkCity,Miami, Los Angeles, and London, who flew there together with NATPE executives. The group was welcomed in Nassau by Graeme Davis, president of the 2,300-room Baha Mar resort that will house the 2023 incarnation of NATPE, which has been renamed NATPE Global for the occasion. Another organized trip took place in late August, 30 people, many hailing from Miami and Los Angeles, were accompanied by NATPE executives to survey the resort. The Baha Mar has three hotels in the large compound: Rosewood, SLS, and the Grand Hyatt, with the most economical being the Hyatt. The total average cost for each “inspector” — as reported to VideoAge by two visitors of the first group — flying from the U.S. was $1,350 for a two-night stay (during the low season). However, a VideoAge call to Baha Mar revealed that before and after NATPE, the cheapest room at the Grand Hyatt was U.S. $419 per night plus a $59 resort fee per day, plus $114 between taxes and service charges, for a total of $592 per night. Indeed, some in the visiting contingent were concerned with the high costs of food, beverages, and services offered by the complex, which were all on the pricey side. The hefty price tag, which may not come as a big concern for many distributors, could be detrimental for program buyers — particularly those from central LATAM — if they will not be offered complimentary hotel rooms. But, the response was largely positive from the second group of visitors. Their major concern was the fact that beds in what will become exhibition rooms during the event will not be removed, representing a problem for those who cannot rent a suite with a living room. Many attendees will also likely be uncomfortable taking a business meeting in a roomwith a bed. Another question raised was whether the market will take place in one hotel or in suites and stands scattered all around the complex. Onemore concernwas the availability of a place for breakfast meetings. Baha Mar supposedly has 45 restaurants, but the “inspectors” only visited a single buffet table with a long line during their visit. An additional issue is whether or not Miamibased distributors will benefit from this new arrangement. Since all LATAM buyers (including those from Mexico) will have to fly through Miami in order to hop on over to Nassau, will local Miami distributors try to get ahead of the game and ask buyers to pay them a visit before heading to NATPE, in effect replicating the L.A. Screenings model? One content distributor fromMexico provided the answer: “I do think many distributors will arrange to have meetings before or after their clients fly to Nassau. Also, many Miami-based clients will ask to meet with distributors before or after in Miami.” Two other questions raised regarded the number of years NATPE has signed (or will sign) with Baha Mar, and whether the distributors who paid for the cancelled Miami 2022 market (pandemic-related cancellation) and haven’t yet been reimbursed, will attend NATPE Global because they foresee a goodmarket, or whether it’s just to use up their credit. After the June 28, 2022 press release officially announced that NATPE 2023 would move to Nassau, and be held January 17-19, 2023 (the same dates of the former NATPE Miami), Video- Age was able to get some of the answers. VideoAge met with NATPE CEO JP Bommel during NATPE Budapest, and on that occasion Bommel said that exhibitors will be able to rent suites in all three of the hotels in the Baha Mar complex (at the exhibitors’ discretion, just like at NATPE Miami). As for the floor exhibition and conferences, they will take place in the complex’s Convention Center. Plus, when asked how many years NATPE has signed with the Baha Mar, after some hesitation, Bommel re-ported that the organization, for now, has a deal for “one year, in 2023.” About the hotel room rates, and whether NATPE will comp some of the buyers, Bommel would only note that NATPE has “a very compelling initiative for buyers.” He also specified that prices will be “less expensive [than NATPE Miami]”, and that they’re “looking [both] at cost efficiency and adding value to our clients”, as also stated in NATPE’s June 28 press release. Finally, regarding to the close proximity of three markets favored by LATAM participants, MIPCOM, MIP Cancun, and NATPE, the expectation is that LATAM participants (both buyers and sellers) will choose two out of three. On October 3, NATPE announced that it will file petition for restructuring its business affairs with the bankrupcy court under chapter 11, but still intends to move forward with the Baha Mar event. NATPE Miami Becomes NATPE Global In Nassau, and Faces Universal Challenges Quo Vadis? NATPE’s Charlie Weiss and JP Bommel
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