Posted in: AEW, Sports, TV, WWE | Tagged: aew, Backlash, coronavirus, double or nothing, SummerSlam, Wrestlemania, wrestlemania backlash, wrestling, wwe
Regular Full Capacity Crowds Could Return to Pro Wrestling By Summer
As more of the United States population gets vaccinated against COVID-19 and more states continue to remove coronavirus safety restrictions, the return to pro wrestling as touring shows with full capacity crowds could be on the way back. WrestleMania in April featured close to half-capacity crowds at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, and the upcoming AEW Double or Nothing PPV will have a full capacity crowd.
In the latest issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Melter reported that the decision to go full capacity, which would mean 5,000 fans in Daily's Place in Jacksonville, came after the Khan family and UFC successfully promoted a Machine Gun Kelly concert in April with full capacity at the same venue with no resulting issues. Meltzer also reports that WWE will not have fans in the building for WrestleMania Backlash this month, but that the plan is to have fans at SummerSlam.
WrestleVotes, a twitter account popular with clickbait wrestling news aggregation websites, takes things further, reporting that SummerSlam will be the beginning of a return to touring.
AEW Double or Nothing will take place on Sunday, May 30th. Matches booked for the show so far include Hikaru Shida vs. Britt Baker for the AEW Women's Championship and an AEW World Championship match between Kenny Omega and the winner of Orange Cassidy vs. Pac. WWE WrestleMania Backlash is set to take place eon Sunday, May 16th.