Miss America pageant returns to Atlantic City

Miss America pageant returning to ABC, Atlantic City - NY Daily News

After seven years in Las Vegas, the Miss America pageant is returning to its place of origin, Atlantic City, New Jersey. The pageant moved to Las Vegas hoping to attract younger viewers after struggling in ratings during the last decade. ABC also dropped the pageant in 2005, and it went to CMT, then TLC, and finally back to ABC in 2011 after a resurge in ratings. The Miss America organization has also extended its deal with ABC to broadcast the next three annual pageants, and it will take place in September, like it used to, rather than in January in recent years. Las Vegas also hosts the Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants, which Miss America is not affiliated with.

It all started in Atlantic City in 1921 as a way to attract tourists after Labor Day, and typically took place the following weekend. Miss USA and Miss Universe were started in 1951 after then Miss America Yolanda Betbeze refused to pose for publicity in a swimsuit. Catalina Swimwear, one of the sponsors of the Miss America pageant, pulled its sponsorship and created the Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants. The Miss Universe Organization is currently owned by Donald Trump.

While I would certainly like to have the Miss America pageant back in Atlantic City, I would have preferred them to keep it in Las Vegas at least until about 2015, and then they can move back to Atlantic City in 2016. It was hit hard last year by Hurricane Sandy, and I don't think they should have moved it back so soon. I also would have liked the next pageant taking place in May, and then the following pageant taking place in September, so that the current reigning Miss America, Mallory Hagan of New York, would have her reign lengthened rather than shortened. Nonetheless, I am looking forward to seeing the next Miss America pageant.