WWE Stomping Grounds Tarps Off Parts of Arena Amid Low Sales
WWE’s annual Stomping Grounds pay-per-view event was not a hot commodity this year, as parts of the venue were reportedly covered in tarps last night.
Two weeks ago, the event made headlines due to its low ticket sales, and WWE opened a poll on its site to figure out why fans were not interested in the show. WrestlingNews cited “rematches and stale feuds” as reasons for low sales. Fans on Twitter echoed these concerns, noting that the excitement level was not high and none of the matches made sense. Additionally, since the show was booked so close to a Saudi Arabian show, WWE had to switch the venue from San Diego to Tacoma.
According to ProWrestling, parts of the 20,722-seat arena were covered with a black curtain. While an exact number was not determined, the site estimated that the Tacoma Dome tarped off at least 6,000 seats. Forbes reported that WWE resorted to two-for-one deals to effectively move tickets; those who purchased cheap, upper-level seats were given ticket exchanges for lower level or floor seats.
Fans captured the coverup on Twitter.
I laughed when I saw it ? pic.twitter.com/9g483VKUH7
— Lizbeth ◟̽◞̽ (@lizvel1031) June 24, 2019
Half the arena is blocked off. Offering seat relocation at the top of sections. @nodqdotcom @aaronrift #StompingGrounds pic.twitter.com/CfrLt6t8CY
— Travis K. (@TravisKauth) June 23, 2019
Nonetheless, Stomping Grounds garnered attention with the announcement of guest referee Lacey Evans; something WWE has been teasing for the past two weeks. Some highlights of the night include Bayley defeating Alexa Bliss in the SmackDown Women’s Championship, Kofi Kingston defeating Dolph Ziggler in the WWE Championship, Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn defeating The New Day, and Daniel Bryan and Rowan defeating Heavy Machinery.
