In an update to yesterday’s report concerning a COVID-19 outbreak at WWE, PWInsider has followed up their reporting by noting that even more talent and personnel tested positive throughout the day on Wednesday.
Several WWE talent confirmed that they were contacted and asked to take a COVID-19 test to confirm whether they were positive or negative in order to get ahead of the situation. That led to even more confirmed positive cases, with one source noting to PWInsider that there has been a “lot of running around” within the office.
WWE still plans to continue on with their holiday tour next week, though obviously none of the confirmed positive cases will be allowed to travel.
The belief internally is that WWE could not have done anything more to prevent this outbreak. Sources indicated that they are operating with the mentality that the company is going through the same thing that many sports leagues and Broadway are right now in regards to COVID-19 outbreaks. WWE talents are regularly tested before being allowed into venues.
There will likely be some shuffling of the cards planned for this upcoming tour. A source noted to PWInsider that under a worst case scenario, they could even bring some NXT talent on the road to fill-in the undercard of some of their live events.
A Busy WWE Schedule Over The Next Week
WWE’s Day 1 PPV in Atlanta is exactly 10 days from yesterday’s reporting on this outbreak. CDC guidance indicates that people generally shed the virus for 10 days after becoming symptomatic. The hope within WWE is that all talent will be cleared and still be able to perform at the PPV given the time frame they are working with.
It will be a busy week for WWE starting on Sunday, December 26, with WWE holding live events that day in Tampa (SmackDown brand at Amalie Arena) and New York City (Raw brand at Madison Square Garden). Raw on Monday night will emanate from the Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, while the SmackDown crew will be running the Amway Center in Orlando on Monday. Tuesday will see shows in Washington, D.C. (SmackDown) and Pittsburgh (Raw), and Wednesday the tours move on to Toronto (Raw) and Baltimore (SmackDown). The SmackDown crew wraps up Thursday in Buffalo (SmackDown). Next Friday night’s New Years Eve edition of SmackDown has already been taped, and the Day 1 PPV will be Saturday night in Atlanta.
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