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Update: 4:30 p.m ET – Jon Alba of Spectrum Sports 360 has confirmed Pro Wrestling Sheet’s report indicating anyone seated ringside, in the lower bowl, or backstage were tested for COVID-19.
He also confirms the report that nobody seated in the upper bowl was tested.
I can confirm the substance of @ryansatin‘s report regarding #AEW and the fans in attendance. Anyone who was seated ringside, lower bowl, or backstage was COVID-tested, as the company has been doing. The upper bowl seating report is also accurate, from what I have been told.
I can confirm the substance of @ryansatin's report regarding #AEW and the fans in attendance.
Anyone who was seated ringside, lower bowl, or backstage was COVID-tested, as the company has been doing. The upper bowl seating report is also accurate, from what I have been told.
— Jon Alba (@JonAlba) July 2, 2020
Original Report
All Elite Wrestling presented night one of their Fyter Fest event Wednesday at Daily’s Place in Jacksonville, FL.
The company reportedly allowed upwards of 60 extras into the facility, who were not tested for COVID-19, according to a fan who was in attendance at the event.
The fan posted their experience on Reddit, indicating they received a private invite to show. The post has since been deleted, but comments are still visible.
AEW reportedly handed all attendees a waiver to fill out, confirming they had not been exposed to COVID-19. They were provided masks, but were not given COVID-19 tests, only temperature checks prior to entering the venue.
Here’s some excerpts from the Reddit poster who was at the event.
Private invite. There were maybe 60 people there in attendance tops (not including crew). Venue holds 6,000.
They require you to have a mask to even walk though the gate, then they do a temp check, then sign a waiver acknowledging you haven’t been exposed, no air travel, etc.
Once you’re in, you’re personally escorted to seating. Every other row, several seats apart from the people in your row. Masks required if you wanna stand up and “migrate” I guess you could say.
No Covid testing for attendees. As far as I know, every talent/crew member etc gets tested
All Elite Wrestling sources confirmed to Pro Wrestling Sheet, those invited to the event “were local to Daily’s Place or Jaguars sponsors who were allowed to bring family and friends”
According to the report, those invited were seated in the upper bowl of Daily’s place and “were likely not tested because there’s no way anyone up there could spit or breathe on anyone in the ringside or backstage area”.
Photos from those invited to the show were posted on Instagram, as seen below.
The source indicates anyone in the lower bowl, or who were granted access backstage was tested for COVID-19.
The company believes that the amount of distance is adequate between those who were just given temperature checks, and those who were tested for COVID-19 is an adequate.