During a recent interview with Sports Illustrated, Stephanie McMahon discussed if there was ever doubt WrestleMania 36 would go ahead. The “Show of Shows” has been forced to pivot and change due to the coronavirus pandemic. She stressed how this is an unprecedented time and that WWE was monitoring the situation closely on a day-to-day basis.
“Ultimately, as brands and leagues and companies are reinventing themselves, it’s important to stay true to your mission,” she explained. “And our mission is to put smiles on people’s faces. We’re a fan-first company, we always want to provide an experience that is worthy of our fans’ passion.”
She continued, “We’re constantly looking at what other leagues are doing, what other providers are doing, assessing the landscape–can we make it as safe as possible? Where can we shoot the content? All of these different factors have come into play. We’re working with local, regional, and global agencies, we’re putting in the best possible testing measures that we can [and] all of the safety precautions that we’re taking to take this very seriously.”
Stephanie McMahon then noted how their decision to deliver WrestleMania 36 isn’t “bullheaded” stubbornness. According to her, every aspect has been a “thought-through effort” in order to entertain the WWE Universe.
“It won’t feel and look like our biggest show of the year, but certainly from a content standpoint and a match standpoint, we’re trying to deliver.”
Stephanie McMahon Details WWE’s Coronavirus Safety Measures
Stephanie McMahon then her attention to the safety measures WWE has put in place to protect its staff and talent. She stressed how “every performance is voluntary for our performers and crew,” adding that this was a crucially important note to highlight.
“[…] the Performance Center itself is a closed set. We’re shooting in waves. No one person, regardless of who they are, is allowed to enter if they have a temperature of over 100.4, or if they have been out of the country or been in touch with someone who has been out of the country.”
She explained how they do “pandemic-level cleaning,” which includes fogging and ultraviolet light. Admitting that could be viewed as overkill, she isn’t concerned as safety is paramount.
WrestleMania 36 airs on the WWE Network this weekend on April 4 and April 5.
