John Cena could be up against Bray Wyatt at WrestleMania 36 (Credit: WWE)
WWE confirmed the upcoming episode of SmackDown and claimed the show wasn’t cancelled or postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak.
A release from the company stated that they are putting up contingency plans should other details come in from the government:
“WWE has not cancelled Friday Night SmackDown in Detroit.
However, based on the current situation, we are putting contingency plans in place in the event that upcoming WWE shows are cancelled by government officials, civil authorities and/or local venues.”
However, the number of cases in the United States is growing and President Donald Trump took action by suspending flights to and from several European countries in hopes of managing the situation.
This is going to last for 30-days, for now, and more news was to come from other major sports in the country.
The NBA, the biggest basketball league in the world, suspended their season. This was after Utah Jazz star Rudy Gobert tested positive for coronavirus (COVID 19).
Italy has also taken such precautions with all football games suspended till April. The European nation is one of the epicentres of the virus, and many cities and locations are in lock down.
Although WrestleMania is the biggest event in the wrestling calendar, it doesn’t make sense to host it in a month’s time with so much going on.
Thousands of fans travel from across the globe, and with so many restrictions on the table, it is a risk to even think about leaving one’s country.
Cancelling WrestleMania would be a big deal, and it would be better for the show to get postponed.
Now, WrestleMania without the fans doesn’t make sense either. It would feel hollow to have the biggest event in an empty stadium. But fans would be able to watch it via the WWE network or as a PPV.
But that wouldn’t be a real WrestleMania. It is essential for the fans and the wrestlers to remain safe during this period.
Tampa Bay tweeted that the show will go on, and there are no plans to cancel it.
However, the city will hold a meeting regarding the future of major events later on Thursday:
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WWE has always said that the health and safety of their stars and fans is important. However, this is one of the biggest threats they have received to a show in recent decades.
While cancelling WrestleMania shouldn’t be the solution, postponing the show is right.
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