Report: WWE moves WrestleMania to the Performance Center
Amidst the concerns about the spread of the coronavirus, much scrutiny has been directed towards WWE for not making a decision about postponing, cancelling, or moving WrestleMania. Today, WWE has finally come to a decision.
Upon the situation about the coronavirus becoming worse in North America, WWE announced the moving of SmackDown and Raw to the WWE Performance Center. However, one noticeable area where the city of Tampa and WWE were completely silent concerned the status of WWE WrestleMania, the biggest wrestling show of the year.
As independent companies around the world began to cancel all upcoming events, or move them to an empty, closed set, like AEW, and Will Ospreay’s No Fans Monday with Wrestle Talk TV, the eyes of the world were left on WWE.
As the Canadian borders closed today, and more news surrounding the spread of the virus comes out of the United States, the movement or cancellation of the show seemed inevitable.
Finally, today, WWE has announced that WrestleMania will be moved to the WWE Performance Center, cancelling the event in Tampa Bay in a statement on WWE.com:
"In coordination with local partners and government officials, WrestleMania and all related events in Tampa Bay will not take place. However, WrestleMania will still stream live on Sunday, April 5 at 7 pm ET on WWE Network and be available on pay-per-view. Only essential personnel will be on the closed set at WWE’s training facility in Orlando, Florida to produce WrestleMania."
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WWE moving the event from Tampa is the right call given the circumstances around the coronavirus and the importance of social distancing to help protect the immunocompromised and elderly.
While some thought postponing the show was the best option so that a live audience could be in attendance, as time moved forward over the last week, it seemed more and more likely that Vince McMahon wanted to hold the show on Apr. 5, regardless.
As it turns out, WrestleMania will take place and air on the WWE Network, rather than on another streaming service, which Vince McMahon hinted at in the 2019 investors call in February, but has been unable to find a buyer as promised. However, for WWE fans, that means easier access to the show, as they access it through the Network as normal.
After weeks of wondering, we finally have our answer: WrestleMania will air from the WWE Performance Center.
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For more information about COVID-19, visit the CDC’s website or the website for your state’s Department of Health.