When Is WWE Going Back to Live Audience?

The WWE Universe has been wondering when WWE will be going back to having a live audience. We take a look at when that might happen.

Introduction

On March 11, 2020, WWE announced that it would be suspending all live events due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This included NXT TakeOver: Tampa Bay, which was originally scheduled to take place at the Amalie Arena on April 5. WWE had held live events with no audiences since WrestleMania 36 on April 5 and 6, 2020.

Since then, WWE has held several events without audiences, including SummerSlam, Clash of Champions, and Hell in a Cell. The company has also resumed touring internationally with WWE Live events in Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom.

While there is no official word on when WWE will resume holding events with live audiences, it is possible that the company will wait until the COVID-19 pandemic is under control before bringing back fans.

WWE’s COVID-19 Protocols

COVID-19 has forced WWE to change the way they produce their content. WWE has not had a live audience since March 2020. They have been pre-taping their shows and airing them on TV. WWE has strict protocols in place for their talent and staff. They are tested twice a week and have to quarantine if they test positive.

Temperature Checks

WWE has employed a comprehensive strategy to protect our performers, staff and fans, including regular testing of all talent and employees, limiting travel and physicalcontact between talent to the greatest extent possible, implementing temperature checks upon arrival to WWE facilities,
and increasing the frequency of cleaning and sanitizing all areas within our productions.

Masks

All WWE Personnel will be required to wear masks when entering and moving around inside WWE Performance Centers, including when entering the ring for matches.
WWE has a dedicated mask compliance officer who will enforce this rule among Talent, Trainers, Referees and other staff.
There will be no exceptions to this rule.

Social Distancing

WWE has a strict social distancing policy in place to protect both their talent and the live audience. The company has implemented a six-foot rule where all talent must stay six feet apart from each other at all times. This includes during backstage segments, interviews, and even in the ring. WWE has also increased the cleaning and sanitation of their facilities and have placed hand sanitizer stations throughout the arena.

In addition to these measures, WWE is also testing all talent and staff twice a week for COVID-19. Anyone who tests positive for the virus is immediately removed from WWE programming.

When Is WWE Going Back to Live Audience?

WWE is hoping to bring back a live audience soon, though the company has not provided an official date yet. WWE has been holding events without fans since March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While the lack of fans has been a financial hit for WWE, the company has been able to stay afloat thanks to its robust online presence.

WrestleMania 37

Although WWE has not officially announced when they will be returning to live audiences, WrestleMania 37 is rumored to be the first event with fans in attendance. This rumor has not been confirmed by WWE, but the company has been hinting at holding the event in front of a live audience for weeks.

WrestleMania 37 is scheduled to take place on April 10th and 11th at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. If the event does indeed take place in front of a live audience, it will be the first time WWE has held an event with fans in attendance since March 2020.

The return of fans to WWE events would be a major milestone for the company, as they have had to adjust to performing in front of empty arenas for over a year now. It remains to be seen if WWE will indeed be able to return to live audiences at WrestleMania 37, but it would certainly be a welcome sight for both the wrestlers and the fans.

SummerSlam

In mid-June, WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon said that the company is “working with a number of different partners” to bring back a live audience, with a return date target of SummerSlam in August. The plan did not come to fruition, as WWE continued to film all its programming at the Performance Center in Orlando with no fans in attendance.

SummerSlam will now take place on August 23, and it appears that WWE is once again eyeing a return to live programming with fans in attendance. According to PWInsider, WWE is working on plans to tape SummerSlam at the Amway Center in Orlando. The report notes that the Amway Center has been used as a COVID-19 testing site, which would give WWE the ability to test potential attendees before they are allowed into the arena.

There is no word yet on how many fans would be allowed into the arena for SummerSlam, but it’s worth noting that WWE has gradually been increasing the number of people allowed inside the Performance Center for its TV tapings.

It’s also unclear if WWE would tape all of SummerSlam on one night or if they would spread it out over multiple nights, as they did with WrestleMania 36 back in April.

WWE has not officially announced any plans for SummerSlam at this time, but we will keep you updated on any developments.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is still unclear when WWE will be returning to having a live audience. However, WWE has taken several steps recently that seem to indicate that they are preparing for this eventuality. WWE has resumed holding live events with a small number of fans in attendance, and they have also begun selling tickets for future events. It is possible that WWE could return to having a full live audience as early as this summer.