10 Things We Learned Attending WWE WrestleMania 40 Live
9. Literally Blinded By The Light
I have attended three WrestleMania events in person; XXX, 35, and 40. Two of those events featured at least one match that was effectively ruined through a poor production choice - and what’s more annoying is that WWE has not learned a thing in the intervening five years.
At ‘Mania 35, one entire corner of the stadium could not see AJ Styles Vs. Randy Orton. They only ended up missing a mediocre gentleman’s three, in the end, but it’s the principle of the thing. Those punters have paid an eye-watering sum of money, having saved up all year for the financial investment and spending just as long a time looking forward to what is a bucket list item. At a minimum, they should be able to watch the show. That is the bare minimum experience!
It happened again at WrestleMania 40: Final Testament Vs. Bobby Lashley and Street Profits and LA Knight Vs. AJ Styles were all but impossible to watch live. A searingly bright spotlight above the screen that towers of the ring burned with the blinding intensity of the low winter sun. You should not have to pack sunglasses when you watch an outdoor event in April in the northeastern United States; given how cold it gets, between hoodies and coats, you’ve enough to carry.
Compounding the sense of frustration is that WWE’s production values elsewhere are pure state of the art, and they aren’t shy about bragging over this fact.
It’s half-entertaining to express your fury, and there may even be some sort of arcane production technique that necessitates this dilemma - but it’s pure amateur hour.
- MS