Florida Deems WWE An Essential Business, Allows For Live Shows

WrestleZone- WWE RAW will be live from the WWE Performance Center tonight and they aren’t skirting any legal restrictions to do so.

Orange County mayor Jerry Demings explained the situation today. “Originally, they were not deemed an essential business,” Demings said. “With some conversation with the governor’s office regarding the governor’s order, they were deemed an essential business.”

As I'm writing this blog, I'm also watching Monday Night RAW - which is taking place LIVE from an empty WWE Performance Center. I'm still not used to that.

After a Governor's order for all non-essential businesses (including the WWE) to cease operations, which led to WrestleMania being pre-taped for the first time ever, Orange County mayor Jerry Demings has now stated that there was some kinda conversation with the Governor that has allowed the WWE to be declared essential. 

That's some balls-on-the-table shit from Vince McMahon and some Florida shit from Florida if I've ever heard it.

Now, you may be thinking, "Cool, but Robbie, it feels like the timing of this couldn't be worse!" - I assure you - it actually can be! 

This comes just one day after the WWE issued a statement revealing one of their in-ring performers had contracted the virus. They say they'll be policing themselves well, though, so there's not much to worry about.

Vince is such a hardo he shoo'd the government off and said, "We'll handle it ourselves, thankyaverymuch!" 

Oh yeah - and Jerry Lawler, WHO FAMOUSLY HAD A HEART ATTACK ON LIVE TELEVISION, is calling the action right now. Probably not a great idea to get that guy outta the house right now, is it?

I'm not gonna sit here and tell them to shut it down, because truthfully, I don't know the full details and extent of the situation and precautions and I've been appreciating the entertainment they've been providing, but it certainly feels like - at the very least - these shows shouldn't be happening live, right? 

Putting on a live broadcast requires a much bigger crew than pre-taped segments would, and likely removes the ability to work in skeleton crew shifts like they did for WrestleMania. If someone literally just tested positive for coronavirus in the company, why would they want a bunch of the roster all at the Performance Center at once? That doesn't make a ton of sense to me...but again, I'm not really picking a "side" here, just thinking aloud.

I'd say I'm rooting for the WWE to do as much as they possibly could while ensuring everyone remains safe and healthy, which right now it doesn't really feel like they're doing. Having some reassurance there would be awesome. 

This is definitely gonna be something we look back on one day and remember Vince for. We'll talk about what a psychotic "show-must-go-on" nut he was for closing out Over the Edge 1999, and for running live shows in the middle of a Global Pandemic.

Gotta make that XFL money back somehow, I guess!