WWE has officially announced its residency at the Amway Center.
On August 14, it was reported by multiple sources that WWE would be moving out of the Performance Center and into the Amway Center for residency. Moving to the Amway Center would bring about a new experience for fans, including LED boards featuring virtual fans. Michael Cole more or less confirmed the move on Friday's SmackDown, noting that the show would not take place at the Performance Center on August 21.
On Monday, WWE confirmed the move, announcing the ThunderDome.
STAMFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- WWE ThunderDome, featuring a state-of-the-art set, video boards, pyrotechnics, lasers, cutting-edge graphics and drone cameras, will take WWE fans’ viewing experience to an unprecedented level starting this Friday, August 21 on FOX, kicking off SummerSlam Weekend.
“WWE has a long history of producing the greatest live spectacles in sports and entertainment, yet nothing compares to what we are creating with WWE ThunderDome,” said Kevin Dunn, WWE Executive Vice President, Television Production. “This structure will enable us to deliver an immersive atmosphere and generate more excitement amongst the millions of fans watching our programming around the world.”
With the debut of WWE ThunderDome, WWE will take residency at Amway Center in Orlando and virtually bring fans into the arena via live video on massive LED boards, in conjunction with The Famous Group and its proprietary technology, for every Monday Night Raw, Friday Night SmackDown and WWE pay-per-view event. Starting tonight, fans can register for their virtual seat to be part of upcoming shows via www.WWEThunderDome.com or at WWE’s Facebook, Instagram or Twitter pages.
“As WWE takes residency at the world-class Amway Center, we have reimagined our live event experience for today’s environment,” said Brian Flinn, WWE Chief Marketing & Communications Officer. “In partnership with The Famous Group, we will virtually bring our fans back into the show and recreate the interactive in-arena atmosphere that has been a staple of WWE events for decades.”
WWE Event Schedule for August:
Friday, August 21 – Friday Night SmackDown, Amway Center, 8 pm ET on FOX
Saturday, August 22 – NXT TakeOverXXX, Full Sail Live, 7 pm ET on WWE Network
Sunday, August 23 – SummerSlam, Amway Center, 7 pm ET on WWE Network
Monday, August 24 – Monday Night Raw, Amway Center, 8 pm ET on USA Network
Wednesday, August 26 – NXT, Full Sail Live, 8 pm ET on USA Network
Friday, August 28 – Friday Night SmackDown, Amway Center, 8 pm ET on FOX
Sunday, August 30 – Payback, Amway Center, 7 pm ET on WWE Network
Monday, August 31 – Monday Night Raw, Amway Center, 8 pm ET on USA NetworkWWE’s Amway Center residency will continue for the foreseeable future and Raw, SmackDown and pay-per-view programming will be produced on closed sets with only essential personnel in attendance. WWE will continue to administer its health and safety protocols for talent, crew and employees in conjunction with each production, including PCR testing for COVID-19, social distancing and wearing masks.
According to Jon Alba of Spectrum News 13, WWE's residency at the Amway Center runs through October 30.
Pro Wrestling Sheet posted a video showcasing the ThunderDome set being built.
Later in the day, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer announced that the Amway Center will serve as WWE's home for the next two months.
NEW: City of Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer officially announces Amway Center will serve as the home of #WWE's residency for the next 2 months. No fans will be allowed. Additional safety and cleaning procedures. Says it will keep Amway staff working. @MyNews13 #ThunderDome pic.twitter.com/49m9390Lzl
— Jon Alba (@JonAlba) August 17, 2020
Events have taken place at the Performance Center since March 13 when arenas began shutting down across the country due to COVID-19.
