As PWMania.com previously reported, WWE hopes to capitalize on its popularity in broadcast events in the near future.
WWE’s most recent event was last Friday’s episode of SmackDown in Madison Square Garden in New York City, where they drew over 13,500 people, making it the largest live gate for an event at the arena ever.
WWE had the entrance set up as a small walkway across with no big ornate stage like the other WWE TV events for decades until a few years back when WWE stopped utilizing the aisle and just had its standard arrangement.
WrestleVotes previously stated that they questioned someone in WWE why the company wouldn’t have the smaller setup like they used for stadium PLEs for SmackDown, and they were told, “It’s just not what we do.” WWE would contemplate a smaller platform for its upcoming event at MSG, according to Andrew Zarian of the Mat Men podcast.
Dave Meltzer stated in the current issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that WWE had considering utilizing a smaller stage configuration for some TV events.
Meltzer wrote, “There is at least talk of doing a smaller stage at some arenas or TVs where the advance is strong. It was never really talked about because the 12,000 to 13,000 max at the major arenas with the current staging was more than they were selling except for PPV shows.”
Meltzer mentioned that there are several shows where WWE sells more than 15,000 tickets, such as SmackDown in Puerto Rico and London, which they may be able to do at MSG as well.
