11 Famous Wrestling "Holy Grounds" That Still Stand
9. Hammerstein Ballroom
When we talk about wrestling in Manhattan, the most obvious point of discussion is a certain arena in Midtown, but we'll get to that later. A few blocks over is the Manhattan Center, which houses one of wrestling's other sacred hotspots: the Hammerstein Ballroom.
Known of course as the original location of Monday Night RAW, the ballroom holds the distinction of being the spiritual home of one of the (so-called) longest-running series in wrestling history. Of course, the less said about the 25th Anniversary Show, the better.
Modern fans, however, will more likely associate the ballroom with its ECW antics. The venue was host to several PPVs and episodes of Hardcore TV in the company's waning years, and WWE opted to book those venues for the One Night Stand events instead of a certain bingo hall in Philadelphia. Fans will forever remember the chaotic moments such as Sandman's entrance at the 2005 show, and the unbelievably hostile reaction to John Cena at its 2006 sequel.
Small, classy, and at the same time gritty, the Hammerstein ballroom will always have a special place in the hearts of WWE and ECW fans.