FLOP No. 11 – Trump Tulsa Rally (2020)

GatheringPoint.news: The 50 Greatest Flops in Event History

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The Promise: A comeback rally after pandemic shutdowns, staged as a massive show of political strength and energy. Organizers expected 100,000 people.

What Happened: Just over 6,000 showed up. Teen TikTok users had organized a fake RSVP campaign, flooding registration with bogus signups. Empty upper decks and a flat crowd became the photo-op.

What Failed: RSVP strategy was non-existent. No safeguards against digital manipulation. The optics collapsed on live television.

What We Learned: A packed room isn’t a given—and RSVP forms don’t equal turnout.

What an Event Pro Would’ve Advised: Confirm attendance with multiple verification layers. Don’t depend on online hype without on-the-ground confirmation. Prep visuals for sparse turnout contingencies.