7 Things You Only Learn From Being Part Of WWE ThunderDome

WWE's ThunderDome was a significant upgrade when it launched in August 2020.

Before that, and since the pandemic began in March, the company had held shows at the more restrictive Performance Center. When commentary paused to take a breath and wrestlers were silent, fans watching at home were treated to the less-than-thrilling sound of a ('Big Ass') fan whirring away in the background. That had to change.

The 'Dome felt like an immediate improvement when WWE debuted it on the 21 August SmackDown. Since then, they've went to great lengths to package those LED screens as a must-have live experience, but outsiders still have one question: What is it really like to be part of the ThunderDome crowd on Raw, SmackDown, NXT and beyond?

As learned from a report in the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter, there are some eye-opening things one can learn from applying for one of those slots and taking in some WWE programming via the ThunderDome. It's maybe not quite the loose adventure some might expect; if anything, WWE's 'Dome makes you part of the product more than an expressive fan.

Vince McMahon's crew aren't afraid to lay down the rules, and they're determined not to let anyone "attending" spoil the live broadcast...

The first thing WWE are concerned with is that everyone's screen looks good.

Obviously, managing camera quality is troublesome, but the promotion crave consistency (or as much as they can get) when it comes to that sort of thing. That's why, when one first logs onto the ThunderDome, they're greeted by a company-led 'event coordinator' who guides everyone through initial set-up.

This is why most LED boards on WWE programming have a similar look - these 'coordinators' ensure, as much as possible, that each fan's panel shows the right amount of person and background. Symmetry is important, after all, especially when fans watching at home will naturally find their eyes drawn to the screens occasionally.

WWE want their collection of webcams (effectively) to look good. They were also concerned by some of the controversy early 'Dome shows courted, and definitely don't want anyone flashing up offensive pics halfway though the broadcast again.