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WWE has decided to once again air live television starting Monday for RAW at the Performance Center in Orlando, FL.
In a statement to ESPN, WWE addressed the reasons behind proceeding to produce live content.
“We believe it is now more important than ever to provide people with a diversion from these hard times. We are producing content on a closed set with only essential personnel in attendance following appropriate guidelines while taking additional precautions to ensure the health and wellness of our performers and staff. As a brand that has been woven into the fabric of society, WWE and its Superstars bring families together and deliver a sense of hope, determination and perseverance.”
WWE has been running taped programming for the last several weeks, including Wrestlemania 36.
This statement comes following a positive COVID-19 diagnosis within the talent roster. WWE addressed the news, indicating the person in question was not an in-ring performer, and has recovered.
The company originally had plans to pre-record several weeks of programming, but plans changed following SmackDown tapings on Friday.
WWE previously had plans to tape five episodes of RAW, five episodes of SmackDown, and several episodes of NXT.
Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select (subscription required) reported that a “very aggressive” Vince McMahon made the decision, and many talents were unhappy with his direction.
WWE personnel issued a letter Friday informing talent they are “essential media” if questioned by law enforcement.