Could Fox Force The WWE To Make A Dangerous Decision For The Public?

Fox network could be forcing WWE to make a rather dangerous decision by bringing back the audience prematurely.

Fox Pushing For Live Crowd Return

Source: Screenshot, YouTube WWEVerified

WWE may find itself in hot water due to one of their network deals.

According to sources, Fox is desperate for live crowds to return. So much so, the network has been putting pressure on the WWE for the past few weeks. 

Fox invested a lot in the WWE, and they are looking for that investment pay-off. For them, that means bringing back the crowds. 

Of course, this is easier said than done. With coronavirus variants endangering lives worldwide, it may not be the right time to bring the crowds back just yet.

Unfortunately, the WWE might have caved to pressure already. According to a report, the WWE could be having a SmackDown with fans as early as July 16th.

It does seem like the first event will be a test. But who knows if there will be a coronavirus testing follow-up for those in attendance.

The rules surrounding live events seem loose, especially with such big events.

It remains to be seen if the the WWE could hold safe events in the nearby future. But maybe vaccinations could provide some relief?

Money in the Bank

Source: Screenshot, YouTube WWEVerified

WrestleMania took place in front of a live crowd. Of course, the total number of fans in attendance was a lot less than previous years.

The live crowd at WrestleMania got many critics, but also many praises. As always, it is a fine balance between safety and entertainment.

As it stands, Hell in a Cell should take place in The Thunderdome instead. But the same cannot be said for Money in the Bank.

Money in the Bank is scheduled for July of this year. And Bryan Alvarez seems to think this is when live crowds will have returned.

“I don’t know all of the details but it has been suggested to me that in fact, [MITB] is not going to be the first show back with WWE fans.”

“I don’t know if it’s gonna start with a RAW, I don’t know if it’s gonna start with a SmackDown. Don’t know what it’s gonna be but prior to that, fans are going to be returning to WWE shows, WWE live events.”

“It looks like July is going to be the changeover where the ThunderDome and empty arenas [will be] all history and we’ll be back to having fans in the buildings.” 

If Alvarez is to be believed, fans could return far before July. Naturally, we wonder if this has something to do with the pressure from Fox Network.