Joe Bogdanovich, executive producer of the just-concluded virtual edition of Reggae Sumfest, is calling the event a blockbuster based on the figures which have been coming in following the event.

According to Bogdanovich, who is also chairman and CEO of DownSound Entertainment (DSE), the numbers from the event on all platforms amount to millions.

“ Between July 24-26 Facebook had 632,000 views, YouTube 1,642,000, Instagram 860,000, totalling 134,000 views. When you add global viewing parties, you get an estimated viewing total of 3,448,390 – 3,761,880 for the festival time window,” he shared.

Other numbers Bogdanovich and his team are taking note of is the rise in suscribers and followers on the YouTube, Facebook and Instagram platforms.

He shared that between July 24-26 the Reggae Sumfest Youtube channel picked up 18,000 new subscribers to round out at 275,000 unique individual viewers. Instagram visits totalled 393,621, and the page picked up 47,400 new followers.

DownSound Entertainment streamed the virtual version of Reggae Sumfest 2020 simultaneously on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube with performances on July 24 and 25. The original ticketed version of the festival, which is now in its 27th year, had to be postponed due COVID-19, so the virtual edition was produced in its place to keep the fire burning for the Jamaican music community and the festival.

“The partnership with Facebook was a monumental one as DSE created history as the first in the Caribbean country to do a virtual festival. The decision to include Instagram and YouTube as streaming platforms created a blockbuster! All three platforms showcased the all-Jamaican line-up, produced by an all-Jamaican team, to rave reviews,” said Bogdanovich.

He further stated, “The costs of this bold venture were large, but we felt this was an investment we needed to make to keep our festival relevant, and to promote Jamaican music and culture, while also giving the Jamaican music community a chance to connect with fans globally in this long period of isolation and separation.”

The Sumfest boss expressed his gratitude to the festival’s loyal sponsors who came on-board in short order to make the production possible. He also made note of the technical production quality of the virtual showcase.

“The comments on the quality of the production were as important as the volume of the viewership,” Bogdanovich said. “While the world is well aware of the talent to be found in Jamaica’s musicians, many were blown away by the excellence of the technical presentation and the achievement of the authentic energy and feel of the festival. We were proud to be able to showcase the creativity and technical expertise of the professionals in Jamaica’s entertainment industry, which are among the best in the world,” Bogdanovich said.