Although wrestling has been halted due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, WWE is reportedly working to get events back up and running by the end of summer 2020.
WWE has not held a live event or TV taping outside of the Orlando Area since the Monday Night Raw taping in Washington, D.C. on May 9. Currently, a large percentage of the company’s live event staff has been furloughed.
According to PWInsider, sources say that the company is hoping to run events outside of TV tapings at the Performance Center or Full Sail Live by August, though others said that this timeframe may be premature given the nature of the virus. The actual timeline of the return of WWE events is being described as “day to day,” as strategies quickly change.
Similar to sporting leagues and concert promoters, WWE will have to face a “new normal” amid the pandemic. Even when events do resume, they will have to follow certain protocols to ensure everyone’s safety including social distancing guidelines, face coverings, and sanitization procedures. Only a certain number of fans may be able to attend live events – if they are able to at all – while some cities may be off-limits for the time being.
WWE currently has events listed through the end of the year for sale via Ticketmaster, starting with a match at the Grand Arena at GrandWest in Cape Town, South Africa on September 1. Multiple RAW and Smackdown events are also slated to run throughout September, October, November, and December. None of the events have officially been announced as a go or called-off at this time.