YouTube returns as the title sponsor of VidCon after TikTok's one-year stint
YouTube is taking back the reins from TikTok as the official title sponsor of VidCon, the biggest convention for social media creators and their fans.
Organizers of the event, which will return to the Anaheim Convention Center in California from June 21 to 24, shared the news with NBC News before the official announcement.
From 2013-2019, YouTube served as the primary partner of VidCon, which veteran YouTubers John and Hank Green created. Since it was first held in 2010, thousands of fans have flocked to Southern California to hear from and meet their favorite creators, becoming one of the most visceral real-life manifestations of how the internet had created a new breed of celebrity. The event came to be known for screaming fans sometimes stampeding through the convention center doors to be the first inside.
The convention's connection with YouTube also served as something of a reminder of the platform's once-dominant grip on video-first online creators.
But last year, the convention tapped TikTok as the official partner for the first time, marking what appeared to be a shift in the internet culture space. Many on the featured creators roster, such as Charli D’Amelio and Khaby Lame, got their big breaks on TikTok, not YouTube.
A spokesperson for TikTok did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
“YouTube has always been an integral part of VidCon because it is one of the biggest players in the digital ecosystem,” Colin Hickey, senior vice president of operations at VidCon, said in a statement. “We are thrilled to have them return as the title sponsor to help drive our mission of putting digital culture and its creators center stage. We look forward to seeing how they showcase the evolution of the creator ecosystem across all of three of our tracks.”
Kate Stanford, vice president of YouTube marketing, said in a statement that the platform is "delighted to return as the sponsor."
“The unique relationship and trust between YouTube creators, their fans and the digital industry is what sets our platform apart,” Stanford said in the statement.
VidCon organizers also touted a handful of featured creators who are expected to attend this year, including: the Green brothers, Benjamin De Almeida (BENOFTHEWEEK), Brent Rivera, the Merrell Twins, Kat Blaque, TheOdd1sOut and others.
They join the previously confirmed list of creators, which included: Anthony Padilla, Alyson Stoner, Claudipia, DangMattSmith, Drew Afualo, GeorgeNotFound, Keith Habersberger and Zach Kornfeld (The Try Guys) and others.
The 2022 event drew 50,000 attendees across four days of programming, organizers said, with an additional 650,000 viewers tuning in via livestream from 150 countries.
