Wrestling, is a show that requires an audience. Without the live audience buying the story featured in the ring, forfeits a part of its essence.
But in the wake of the coronavirus contingency, WWE will run a fanless television shows from its training center in the city of Orlando, which will also host the upcoming Wrestlemania. The show will only be transmitted through the streaming on the WWE Network and PPV channels.
WWE airing their shows w/o a crowd because of the coronavirus has gave us quite possibly the greatest moment in wrestling history LMFAOOOOOOOOO pic.twitter.com/gaLgQ8HLkd
In that scenario, the outcome of everything they are committing to is relatively unusual. In the past, in extraordinary situations such as was the fight between The Rock and Mankind during the Super Bowl halftime show, the company conducted empty arena matches.
This is now becoming the norm. One that generates fighting presentations that, although involve very talented people, lack the atmosphere. And that definitely does not represent good news for what will be done at Wrestlemania, probably the exhibition of the year that requires the most live emotional excitement.
The best example is what happened last Friday on Smackdown, in an interaction between John Cena and Bray Wyatt, who will have a fight at Wrestlemania.
the coronavirus emptying the stadiums and turned professional wrestling's high-octane zaniness into a taut and terrifyingly tense Beckett play https://t.co/mev27EWiDR
— Anthony Oliveira (@meakoopa) March 15, 2020
Or what happened this Monday, on the RAW show, with Edge challenging Randy Orton to a Last Man Standing match. In one way or another, it deepens the rivalry. But with the lack of spectators, you feel the emptiness that comes with non-existent cheers or boos.
WWE has always had the protocol that no matter what happens, the show must go on. They have done so even after casualties from fighters, snow storms that have crippled the country and now with the coronavirus.
Dear WWE Universe,
This upcoming week will be another memorable week. We miss your presence, your signs, your chants and much more. We will get through this together and can’t wait for you to pack arenas/stadiums once again.
Sincerely, @WWEonFOX pic.twitter.com/R8GlDLClZd— WWE on FOX (@WWEonFOX) March 16, 2020
Furthermore, faced with the shutdown of sports leagues such as the NBA, Vince McMahon’s company has an opportunity to deliver live content without the competition from others that generally have a larger audience. This is a shot that WWE will surely take.
But definitely the crisis that the coronavirus has generated has opened a very peculiar opportunity to an element of wrestling that has scarcely been seen. However, fighters like Rey Mysterio have already declared that they will make “an effort to give memorable moments” to the audience, “especially in these difficult times that we are all experiencing.”
Felt really awkward going up to the turnbuckle & not seeing fans out there, but entered in a state of mind where I knew the @WWE universe was safe watching from home!Blessings🙏🏼to All!! #StaySafe https://t.co/52IyWA3uiv
— ♛Rey Mysterio❔ (@reymysterio) March 17, 2020
And without that audience, what is most highlighted is the undertaking of the fighters, either to promote wrestling, or to connect with an audience that is live and is now exclusively on the other side of the screen.
