WWE did a test run with fans to test the ThunderDome set up ahead of tomorrow night’s live SmackDown broadcast.
As previously noted, 1,000 fans will be part of the virtual experience when the ThunderDome debuts and, as you can see in the photos posted below, this certainly looks like a massive upgrade from their Performance Center shows.
WWE will be using piped-in crowd noise, similar to what they’ve done in the past for taped shows. The piped-in crowd noise is not new because they’ve been doing that since the 1980s, dating back to the days of WWF Superstars and Wrestling Challenge. However, the virtual fan experience is something completely new to WWE. It looks like they took what the NBA is doing and made it 100 times better.
WWE’s Kevin Dunn has hyped the ThunderDome production as being better than WrestleMania. That appears to be the case, based on the photos posted. It will be interesting to see how fans watching at home feel about the production upgrades tomorrow night.
WWE will continue taping shows at Amway Center at least until late October.
https://twitter.com/ryansatin/status/1296574062018220032
— Ryan Satin (@ryansatin) August 20, 2020
— Ryan Satin (@ryansatin) August 20, 2020
THE STATE OF THE THUNDERDOME pic.twitter.com/k7vKa4fCil
— Will Mahoney (@HeelWillMahoney) August 20, 2020
Your @BGBgroup is inside the WWE THUNDERDOME! pic.twitter.com/WrWdPCTDbQ
— Big Gold Belt Media (@BigGoldBelt) August 20, 2020
Looks like the cameras went on a bit early for the #ThunderDome pic.twitter.com/fg5qGkQrs2
— WrestlingTraveler (@TravelWrestling) August 20, 2020
#WWEThunderDome pic.twitter.com/Q4TMB17tX4
— Ryan Satin (@ryansatin) August 20, 2020
So does this mean when this idea falls apart or gets too old according to Vince, can we bring back 1 vs 100 with @bobsaget? #ThunderDome pic.twitter.com/dicxwz6WlG
— N.A.F 👓 (@nfoster1916) August 20, 2020
