There will be new WWE programming on television in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, but the wrestlers themselves aren’t happy about it. Florida is still under a safer-at-home order, but that won’t stop Vince McMahon. Ryan Satin of Pro Wrestling Sheet reports that Raw and Smackdown will resume live shows at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando this week, while NXT will resume action at its regular home, Full Sail University just outside of Orlando.
Robert De Felice at Fightful reported that McMahon has been aggressive about airing new shows. He even gave his staff letters indicating that they were essential media in the event they were stopped by police.
WWE had initially planned to pre-tape all shows scheduled to air through early May. There is no concrete reporting on why the company reversed course, but it could have something to do with the contracts the company has with its broadcast partners, FOX and NBC Universal. Those contracts specify a certain number of shows that must be broadcast live.
“While nobody will say so publicly, the fear was that by violating the contract, it would give the networks the legal ability to withhold money or find a way to change the deals,” Dave Meltzer wrote for The Wrestling Observer.
It isn’t immediately clear how WWE talent is showing their displeasure or what orders they might be under from the company. Roman Reigns, a cancer survivor, had already removed himself from the WWE’s active roster during the pandemic. Paige also pulled herself from some shows. She told the company she would not be attending a series of tapings in Orlando earlier this month.
Other wrestlers, including Drew McIntyre and The Big Show, have expressed support for the WWE’s decision to continue with live tapings during the pandemic.
