Tropicana Field would have been dark throughout baseball's offseason, its typical winter slate of events canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. But starting next month, it will have a new, temporary tenant.
World Wresting Entertainment will bring its slate of showcase shows to the Rays' home stadium in St. Petersburg.
Through its immersive ThunderDome experience, WWE will tape its prime-time programs, Monday Night RAW and Friday Night SmackDown, as well as pay-per-view events, from the Trop starting with the Dec. 11 broadcast of SmackDown. The residency presumably will last until the next Major League Baseball season begins in the spring.
"The Tampa Bay Rays are excited to welcome WWE to Tropicana Field for this residency and shine a spotlight on the Tampa Bay area for WWE fans around the world," Rays president Matt Silverman said in a statement. "The ballpark will be transformed to host the spectacle of WWE ThunderDome, allowing fans to enjoy this wildly popular experience virtually."
Since the coronavirus shut down mass gatherings, WWE has been producing its shows from a closed set. ThunderDome allows thousands of fans to virtually enter the arena through live video on rows of LED boards around the ring. The spectacle also includes pyrotechnics, lasers, drones and high-tech graphics.
"Hollywood celebrities, WWE Legends and millions of fans from around the world have all enjoyed what the world-class WWE ThunderDome has to offer," WWE chief marketing and communications officer Brian Flinn said in a statement. "This new residency will enable us to continue offering an unmatched live spectacle and would not have been possible without the strong support from the Tampa Bay Rays organization."
WWE's ThunderDome had been produced out of Orlando's Amway Arena, but with the NBA season expected to start next month, the space will be needed by its primary tenant, the Orlando Magic. The Lightning's ECHL minor league affiliate, the Orlando Solar Bears, also call Amway Arena home and are scheduled to start play on Dec. 11.
Interestingly enough, Tropicana Field was named the ThunderDome from 1993-96, when the Lightning and Tampa Bay Storm Arena football team called the dome home prior to the Rays' arrival.
There are no plans to host fans at any WWE events produced at the Trop. All ThunderDome events will continue to be produced with only essential personnel in attendance, and health and safety protocols for the talent, crew and employees involved with each show will continue to include PCR testing for COVID-19, adhering to social-distancing guidelines and mask-wearing.
This time last year, the Trop was transformed into a sparkling winter wonderland with the hugely popular Enchant Christmas village. But that event won't be held this season due to the pandemic. The annual East-West Shrine Game, a showcase game for NFL draft-eligible college seniors, was also canceled.
Fans can pre-register for virtual seating in the ThunderDome at WWEThunderdome.com or through WWE's social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
With coronavirus positivity rates surging, the short-term future of the local sports and entertainment scene is in limbo. The Lightning are still awaiting details on the upcoming NHL season, which is slated to begin Jan. 1. Tampa could be an NHL hub host city, or teams might be able to play games in their home arenas. Also, the NBA's Toronto Raptors, who start this season on Dec. 22 and open training camp in less than two weeks, could relocate to Tampa if the league isn't granted an exemption on Canadian travel restrictions to and from the U.S.
The pandemic hit just as Tampa was preparing to host WrestleMania 36, and the event was moved to a closed set at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando. This year's WrestleMania is scheduled to be held in Los Angeles on March 28, 2021 But given the current state of the pandemic, the WWE continues to monitor all potential locations. Tampa's Raymond James Stadium has emerged as a possible alternative site. The Bucs are currently playing home games at the stadium in front of 25-percent seating capacity.
