10 Live Observations From Attending WWE NXT At Madison Square Garden

9. The Theater Is A Lousy Venue For Pro Wrestling

I'm not sure how many other WWE shows (or wrestling shows in general) have been held in the Theater at Madison Square Garden, but I can only name one other offhand - SummerSlam 1998. To be specific, it was the Owen Hart-Ken Shamrock Lion's Den match that was held in the theater, while the rest of the show was held in MSG proper.

During the Lion's Den match, the theater looked to be packed full of wrestling fans who were rabid for the only match they'd be seeing live that evening. While the small size and intimate setting can certainly make a crowd of a few thousand seem larger, though, TV doesn't quite convey the problems with the setting.

For one thing, the Theater is designed as a venue for concerts, with the focus on the stage and less of an incline to the stadium seating. That made the entranceway very easy to see, but for many fans, the ring itself was at an awkward angle. Combined with the fact that the Theater felt so crowded, WWE may opt for a different venue the next time NXT comes to Manhattan.