MTV VMAs 2020: The show will reportedly not be held at Barclays Center

The MTV VMAs 2020 will not be held at Brooklyn's Barclays Center as planned. On Friday, MTV and Barclays mutually decided not to have the event inside the arena over safety concerns, sources said.

The MTV VMAs 2020 will be hosted instead at various outdoor locations around the city. Representatives for Barclays Center and MTV confirmed in a joint statement exclusively to Page Six on Friday.

"The 2020 VMAs will be held on Sunday, Aug. 30 and pay homage to the incredible resiliency of New York with several outdoor performances around [NYC] with limited or no audience, adhering to all state and city guidelines. In close consultation with state and local health officials‎, it became clear at this time that outdoor performances with limited or no audience would be more feasible and safer than an indoor event," the statement said.

"The VMAs will highlight the boroughs in an exciting show and return to Barclays Center in 2021. MTV will continue to work closely with the Department of Health, state and local officials, the medical community, and key stakeholders to ensure the safety of all involved," it added.

A source told the outlet earlier this week that some staffers expressed concern that they did not feel safe with the show. But another source said the decision to cancel the indoor show was due to safety factors. Sources said that gift bags for the stars and guests have been being shipped already.

The annual music video awards was scheduled to take place at Barclays with "limited or no audience" as per orders from New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo regarding pandemic protocols.

According to MTV announcement on Thursday, Keke Palmer will host the show. Besides, K-pop boyband BTS will perform for the first time, and Doja Cat and J Balvin are also among the live performers. This year, the nominations this year are led by Lady Gaga, Ariana Grande with nine nominations each followed by Billie Eilish and The Weeknd, who have six nominations each.

Two new categories have been added to the MTV VMAs 2020 – Best Music Video from Home and Best Quarantine Performance.