The WWE has been holding every episode of Monday Night Raw, Friday Night SmackDown and monthly pay-per-views inside the WWE ThunderDome since mid-August. And while the company’s contract to run events inside the Amway Center in Orlando is set to expire in late November, WWE officials confirmed the ThunderDome setup will continue regardless of what venue it chooses to operate out of going forward. It’s still unclear when WWE will be able to start touring in any capacity again — the latest reports have the start date in February at the absolute earliest — but it sounds like the company is already working on plans for the 2021 Royal Rumble in late January.
Videos by ComicBook.com
According to WrestleVotes, WWE is looking to shake-up the presentation for that show by changing up the ThunderDome’s design for that night and bringing back live fans.
Big day for voting, go vote. But this is WrestleVOTES so…
Regardless of the next location for the ThunderDome, it is expected to last into February. However, WWE is working on something different for the Royal Rumble event. They want fans, even if it’s just for that one show.
— WrestleVotes (@WrestleVotes) November 3, 2020
If the plan can be carried out, it will be the first time any live fans have been present at a WWE event since mid-March. NXT has already enabled fans to return thanks to the new setup at the WWE Performance Center (redubbed the Capitol Wrestling Center), which debuted at NXT TakeOver 31 in early October.
As of now WrestleMania 37 is scheduled to take place about two months after the Royal Rumble. The show was originally announced for the SoFi Stadium outside of Los Angeles, California, but there have been several reports that the show has been moved to WrestleMania 36‘s original location — Raymond James Stadium in Tampa.
WWE’s next pay-per-view, Survivor Series, takes place on Nov. 22. Check out the full card (so far) below:
- WWE Champion Randy Orton vs. WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns
- Raw Women’s Champion Asuka vs. SmackDown Women’s Champion Sasha Banks
- United States Champion Bobby Lashley vs. Intercontinental Champion Sami Zayn
- Raw Tag Team Champions The New Day vs. SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Street Profits
- Men’s Survivor Series Elimination Tag Match: Team Raw (Keith Lee, AJ Styles, Sheamus, Braun Strowman, TBD) vs. Team SmackDown (Kevin Owens, Jey Uso, TBD)
- Women’s Survivor Series Elimination Tag Match (Nia Jax, Shayna Baszler, Mandy Rose, Dana Brooke, Lana) vs. Team SmackDow (Bianca Belair, TBD)
