WWE Using NXT Superstars In Crowd Of This Week’s Raw & Smackdown Tapings
WWE is starting to take a step forward with audiences…. kind of.
Several WWE Performance Center talent were told that they will be needed in the audience for WWE Raw and Smackdown tapings. Up until now, WWE has not had an audience for their WWE Performance Center shows during the Coronavirus pandemic, but it looks like things will be changing.
An internal memo noted that many of the “audience members” will be intentionally kept off camera, but instead used to help create an environment to better fit the WWE brand. The audience members from NXT and the PC were screened by medical offsite this morning and bussed to the WWE Performance Center. The talent were prohibited from driving to the WWE PC themselves, and will instead be taken back to their vehicles.
We were told that several members of the NXT roster are around, including Dominik Dijakovic, Chelsea Green, Shotzi Blackheart, Jessamyn Duke and other NXT TV talent. Air conditioned tents were to be provided, but we’re told that air conditioning was not provided for at least one of the tents.
AEW has had their talent in the crowd for the past couple of months, while WWE opted to go a more intimate and quiet route.
There was also a dress code of black pants and black shoes set for the spots, as well as whatever WWE t-shirts the company provides. In an update, we’ve heard that filming will include Raw and Main Event today, and there’s actually hockey glass around the barriers, with audience members spaced out at least six feet. Two episodes of WWE Raw film today.
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