WWE resumed live shows on Monday night with Florida officials deeming professional wrestling ‘essential business’ in the state.
The coronavirus outbreak had promoted statewide stay-at-home orders which were imposed in March in efforts to curb the spread of Covid-19.
WWE had been airing pre-taped shows in recent weeks in their empty WWE Performance Center after initially not being recognised as ‘essential’, a decision that has since been reversed.
"I think initially there was a review that was done and they were not initially deemed an essential business," Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings told reporters.
"With some conversation with the governor's office regarding the governor's order, they were deemed an essential business and so therefore they were allowed to remain open."
The decision, outlined in an April 9 memo from Florida's Republican Governor Ron DeSantis, allows WWE to tape live shows if the location is closed to the general public.
A spokesperson from DeSantis' office told ESPN WWE superstars and staff were characterised as essential "because they are critical to Florida's economy."
