WWE is set to hold its first shows inside of a full-scale arena since March starting Friday at the Amway Center in Orlando, Florida, in a setup the company is branding the WWE ThunderDome.
The events at the Amway Center will not, as of yet, have fans in attendance. Similar to the NBA's setup in its bubble at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, fans will be brought virtually into the arena via the video boards.
WWE will take up residency in the home of the Orlando Magic for the foreseeable future, with enhanced video boards, pyrotechnics, lasers and drones included in the presentation.
The move into the Amway Center kicks off with events surrounding "SummerSlam," one of WWE's annual tentpole events. The Aug. 21 edition of "Friday Night SmackDown" will be followed by "SummerSlam" on Aug. 23, "Monday Night Raw" on Aug. 24 and subsequent events, including a follow-up to Sunday's pay-per-view called "Payback" on Aug. 30.
WWE has continued to produce weekly programming, including "Raw," "SmackDown," NXT and monthly pay-per-view events, throughout the coronavirus pandemic by using the WWE Performance Center training facility in Winter Park, Florida, since mid-March. NXT shows eventually moved to the campus of Full Sail University, and as most of WWE's production moves to the Amway Center, NXT shows will continue to originate from Full Sail.
According to a news release sent out by WWE, health and safety protocols for talent, crew and employees, which include PCR testing for COVID-19, social distancing and wearing masks, will continue as they have been since they were put into place at all WWE tapings.
