by Tonight’s WWE SmackDown! tapings originally scheduled for the New Orleans Arena in New Orleans have been moved to Baton Rouge River Center in Baton Rouge thanks to the New Orleans Saints. The Super Bowl champions victory parade has forced the WWE to move their MyNetworkTV tapings to a whole new venue, almost a good 80 miles away.
This isn’t the first time the WWE has had to manipulate their schedule to accommodate a professional sports need. Last year when the Denver Nuggets had their Game 4 playoff game with the Los Angeles Lakers, Nuggets owner Stan Kroenke made a debacle of his team and venue when he forced out the WWE rather then honor the already contracted scheduling of WWE’s Monday Night Raw that night in Denver’s Pepsi Center.
The WWE then made a scheduling change themselves with the help of the Los Angeles Lakers and Staples Center and had their show take place at Staples Center instead that night. Having the Lakers look good in business and the court that season. And making the Denver Nuggets look like what they do every year. All opportunity and no results.
It appears the situation with the New Orleans Saints is not as nasty, but it still is a logistical nightmare and effects thousands of sports fans who were looking forward to a night with the WWE. It is pretty shady business of the NBA and NFL when you try to muscle around a product like the WWE that is as enjoyed by so many. I’m sure the WWE remembers these things when they decide on where they will be bringing their yearly local revenue inducing monster PPVs like WrestleMania.
The WWE will always get the last laugh.
This post was written by Russ Weakland, who is smart enough never to cross Vince McMahon.
