A recent article on FOX13 News looked at the possibly of WWE WrestleMania 36 being cancelled. There seems to be a back-and-forth battle between WWE and the Tampa Bay city government at this point.
“I’m hoping that Vince McMahon and WrestleMania and WWE make the call themselves but a week from now, if they’ve not done that and we’re still in the situation we’re in, we’ll probably have to pull the plug on that,” said Hillsborough County Commissioner Les Miller.
Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister added,
“I commend every sports franchise for erring on the side of caution. I hope the WWE follows suit. I don’t ever want to see people put profit over public safety.”
But WWE is standing firm, saying,
“While we remain committed to hosting WrestleMania at Raymond James Stadium on Sunday, April 5, we are putting contingency plans in place in the event that it is canceled by government officials, civil authorities and/or local venues.”
Of course, the cancellation of WrestleMania 36 would put $150 million of economic impact in jeopardy as the event attracts fans from all 50 states and nearly 70 countries. Numerous independent promotions will also be affected if the event were to be cancelled.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Let’s be honest y’all – this is politics at its finest. Whoever flinches or folds first loses. If WWE cancels the event themselves, the Tampa Bay government will say it was WWE’s call. If Tampa Bay cancels the event, WWE will blame it on the Tampa Bay government. Obviously, Vince McMahon is trying to play this out on a week to week basis in hopes that everything improves. In the end, cramming 70,000+ people into a stadium will not help in trying to contain the coronavirus. This is the reason almost all other sports organizations have cancelled or postponed their events. This includes the NBA, NHL, MLB, MLS, NCAA, XFL, NASCAR, and many, MANY others. Numerous festivals, concerts and conventions have also been cancelled or postponed and schools all over the country are closing due to the pandemic. Donald Trump also declared a “National Emergency” on Friday.
