As the world combats the growing pandemic of coronavirus (COVID-19), it seems no area of life is unaffected, including the professional wrestling industry.
The virus has already wreaked havoc in the sporting world, with Major League Baseball recently canceling Spring Training and the NBA suspending its season indefinitely after a player tested positive for the coronavirus. Now, as positive cases continue to rise across the globe, pro-wrestling is reeling from the effects too, resulting in the cancellation of house shows and possibly even the postponement of the biggest show of them all, WrestleMania 36.
Before the virus reached pandemic levels, rumors of WrestleMania’s cancellation circulated quickly. WWE insisted that the show would go on, but the outlook of WrestleMania 36 actually taking place on April 5 appears to be getting worse each day. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has strongly recommended that local authorities cancel or postpone mass gatherings, and WWE has already started canceling other live events.
WWE’s house show in Youngstown, Ohio was recently canceled after Ohio Governor Mike DeWine halted gatherings of crowds larger than 250 people. A major show at Madison Square Garden scheduled for March 22 has also been canceled. This comes after the Governor of New York, Andrew Cuomo, banned gatherings of 500 or more, with the mayor of New York City, Bill de Blasio, issuing a state of emergency, which he said could last months.
Pro-Wrestling Postponements, Relocations and Cancellations
Other WWE events and programs are taking a hit as well. NXT events in Venice and Daytona Beach have been canceled, and even WWE Backstage is currently suspended. WWE also implemented a no touch policy that was universally praised by the talent, and further decided to take precaution by hosting Raw, SmackDown and NXT inside The WWE Performance Center to reduce crowd size. With the cancellation of the XFL season and WrestleMania 36 hanging on by a thread, the coronavirus isn’t making Vince McMahon’s life any easier. Of course, while being the biggest, the WWE isn't the only wrestling promotion to be affected by Covid-19.
Independent promotions such as Ring of Honor and New Japan Pro Wrestling are also experiencing the impact of COVID-19. ROH has canceled live events and recently a meet and greet, while New Japan Pro Wrestling canceled live shows as well. All Elite Wrestling (AEW), WWE’s closest rival, is trying to get off the ground, but now has to deal with cancellations, too.
AEW has either canceled live events, postponed them, relocated them or opened shows to a limited audience only, sparking refunds. Additionally, AEW President and CEO, Tony Khan, has made a statement that AEW performers are under no pressure to perform during the outbreak. If any of the talent or staff feel ill or feel concerned about traveling, Khan has urged them that no consequences will befall them.
COVID-19: Where Does Pro-Wrestling Go From Here?
WWE appears to be moving forward by hosting Raw, SmackDown and NXT inside the Performance Center, but WrestleMania 36 still hangs in the balance. WrestleMania 36 hasn’t been canceled (yet), and Vince McMahon has since met with the mayor of Tampa Bay, Jane Castor, and other Tampa Bay officials to discuss the status of WrestleMania. WWE is said to have a “contingency plan” in case WrestleMania 36 is canceled by local officials. While it’s not certain what the plan or plans are, the belief is that WrestleMania could be moved to this summer. If that happens, it could not only affect WWE from a business standpoint, but a storyline one, as well.
AEW is in a similar situation. Although, AEW doesn’t yet have anything close to the spectacle of WrestleMania, the Blood and Guts edition to Dynamite in New Jersey, featuring the WarGames style match between The Elite and the Inner Circle has been canceled. AEW has been moving forward with rescheduling or relocating its shows, and higher ups made many announcements of these changes at a press release on Twitter. Unfortunately, no new venue is set for the Blood and Guts show. Hopefully, AEW reschedules this event, but its cancellation is still a major blow to the upstart promotion.
In short, the coronavirus is here, and its affects are felt by everyone, from those who are unfortunately inflicted with the disease, to those who can no longer escape through the world of sports. This pandemic will eventually fade, and major league sports will all return once again, but this disease will obviously take its toll. The refunds wrestling promotions are giving out and the uncertainty of holding future events will dent the WWE, but these effects will be far more devastating to the Independent Wrestling promotions who don’t have the financial backing that other major league sports enjoy.
AEW star Evil Uno reiterates this by saying, "In the wake of all these cancellations… Support the independents. Be it wrestling, music, etc. Buy their merch, support them through Patreon, share their stuff. The gig economy is going to [take] a HUGE hit and many don’t have the safety net necessary to survive this." He’s right, but no matter who fans choose to support, it's imperative to show strong support when the doors reopen.