WWE ponder ThunderDome move after staff and wrestlers test COVID-19 positive

The
new
COVID-19
variant,
Omicron
has
been
causing
troubles
all
over
the
world.
WWE
is
also
feeling
the
effect
and
they
would
like
to
enforce
tighter
restrictions
to
their
upcoming
show
schedule.

A
number
of
WWE
talents
and
staff
members
were
reportedly
feeling
run
down,
following
last
weekend’s
live
events
and
TV
tapings.
According
to
PWInsider,
some
of
them
have
since
tested
positive
for
the
COVID-19.

While
no
specific
name
was
noted,
the
report
suggested
that
some
of
the
staff
have
already
tested
positive
while
others
are
still
waiting
for
their
test
results
to
return.

This
Friday’s
Christmas
Eve
edition
of
SmackDown
on
FOX
has
already
been
taped
from
Chicago
and
hence
there
won’t
be
any
tapings,
this
weekend.
However,
these
COVID-19
positive
names
could
affect
the
annual
post-Christmas
Holiday
Tour.

No
current
plans
have
been
noted
to
cancel
events
in
the
United
States,
but
next
week’s
lineup
from
Toronto,
Ontario,
Laval,
and
Quebec
in
Canada
are
up
in
the
air
due
to
COVID-related
shutdowns
and
restrictions.

Tickets
for
the
Quebec
show
are
no
longer
available,
but
the
event
is
still
listed.
The
December
29
WWE
live
event
in
Toronto
is
also
on
with
Hall
of
Famer
Trish
Stratus
serving
as
the
special
host
but
as
noted
the
ongoing
issues
could
have
a
ripple
effect
on
it.

Interestingly,
FOX
has
canceled
their
“New
Year’s
Eve
Toast
&
Roast
2022”
special
on
December
31st
due
to
the
COVID-19
Omicron
variant.
This
SmackDown
episode
has
since
been
moved
to
FS1
on
New
Year’s
Eve
and
we
now
expect
to
have
a
Year
in
Review
show
on
that
night.

According
to
Dave
Meltzer
on
Wrestling
Observer
Radio,
chances
are
there
that
WWE
might
just
have
to
go
back
to
the
ThunderDome
format
considering
the
circumstances.
The
company
is
prepping
things
up
for
a
move
in
Florida
if/when
any
COVID-19
mandates
are
issued.

“I
think
they’re
both
going
to
be
pretty
confident
that
Florida
will
not
issue
any
mandates
under
any
circumstance.
Obviously,
AEW
can
go
back
to
Jacksonville
and
WWE
can
go
back
to
someplace
in
Florida.
You
can
always
do
the
Performance
Center.

“The
problem
is
that
if
you
put
WWE
Raw/Smackdown
in
front
of
300
people
again
those
numbers
will
crater.
So,
it’s
a
bad
situation
and
AEW’s
numbers
will
hurt
too.”
(quotes
courtesy
Ringside
News)

WWE
Day
1
pay-per-view
is
still
scheduled
from
the
State
Farm
Arena
in
Atlanta,
Georgia
on
New
Year’s
Day.
No
Smackdown
taping
is
currently
listed
until
next
year
while
Monday’s
Raw
is
scheduled
from
Detroit,
Michigan.

Additionally,
there
will
be
live
events
on
Sunday
from
Tampa
and
Madison
Square
Garden
in
New
York
City,
on
Tuesday
from
Pittsburgh
and
Washington,
DC,
on
Wednesday
in
Toronto
and
Baltimore,
and
on
Thursday
from
Buffalo
and
Quebec.
The
December
30
Laval
live
event
has
been
postponed.