What to Expect at a WWE Live Event

To the uninitiated, WWE Live events may feel like a watered-down afterthought to the weekly televised programs. However, they offer great excitement and memories at a fraction of the cost.

WWE superstars have some of the most rigorous schedules of any professional sport. Wrestling is a full-time job with no vacations and little time off.

According to CageMatch.net, Dean Ambrose worked 204 matches in 2016 and 218 in 2015. That’s because in between the televised Raw and SmackDown Live products, WWE superstars perform almost nightly in front of thousands of passionate fans. These non-televised performances are called WWE Live events.

If you’re interested in going to one of these events, but don’t know what to expect, then you’ve come to the right place. This quick and handy guide will tell you all you need to know in order to enjoy your very first WWE Live event.

Price

The first thing you’ll notice about a WWE Live event is just how much cheaper they are than SmackDown Live and Raw. Some quick research for tickets online showed that floor seating for a Raw at the TD Garden, Boston ranged from $110 to $495 dollars depending on the row.  Conversely, tickets for a front row seat at a live event at the DCU Center in Worcester are $100. Families and large groups will save huge amounts of money on great seats by choosing a WWE Live event.

There are a variety of reasons for the price disparage. WWE Live events draw a smaller crowd because they’re not televised. Also, Live events are normally held in smaller venues and tickets are not nearly as in demand. This allows families or large groups to save hundreds on the WWE experience.

Format

Because there are no commercials to jockey around, the action is nearly non-stop from bell to bell. In between matches you can expect a lot of fan participation. This includes prize pack giveaways, fan trivia, and fan voting. There are even intermissions so you can take a minute to grab something to eat without missing a single hurricanrana.

Match Quality

With such a physically demanding schedule, you’d expect WWE superstars to mentally “check out” during Live events. The fact is, that’s not necessary true.

Having been to a number of Live events in the last year, I can attest to the quality of matches. Though the extreme high-spots are normally kept to a minimum, the action’s fast paced and exciting. I’ve never witnessed a situation where it was obvious one or more of the competitors had been trying to play it safe in order to preserve their health.

Live events are the main roster stars’ training facility. Often times, superstars will practice a new move or in-ring sequences. In fact, you may even see a PPV match played out weeks in advance of the PPV event as the athletes work on their cues.

Storylines

One of the few negatives about the Live events is that you won’t see any major storyline developments. WWE saves all of their major plot elements for TV due to the advertising revenue they receive based on the TV ratings. Nearly everything in between their week-to-week televised shows is basically filler.

Just because major story elements aren’t progressing, doesn’t mean you won’t see anything exciting. Superstars from NXT have been known to show up at WWE Live events, and main roster wrestlers may try out a new act or gimmick.

However, that changed on Friday night, as AJ Styles won the United States Championship from Kevin Owens at Madison Square Garden’s event. It’s an anomaly, but when it happens, it’s an exciting development to storylines.

Quick Hits

• Though prices are cheaper for front row seating, consider purchasing tickets anywhere on the floor sections. Depending on the security detail, you’ll be able to change your seat if a closer one is available. Kids normally run to the front barrier before every match to try and get a high five.
• Though there’s no guarantee you’ll get to meet your favorite superstar (unless you purchase the Meet & Greet VIP Experience), superstars will routinely hang around after matches to high-five fans and give out autographs. In fact, Bayley gave my daughter her t-shirt.
• Don’t wait until after the show to get your merchandise. It doesn’t go on sale and the lines are normally twice as long as before the event.

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Do you enjoy WWE Live events more than going to the televised product?