On October 1, 2024, NXT premiered on the CW, launching a new era for the brand. For the first time in thirteen years, it was being broadcast on network television.
By doing that, more people could get access to the brand without paying for cable. The episode wasn’t broadcast at the WWE Performance Center. Instead, it took place at the Allstate Arena in Chicago, IL.
Since the network TV move, several episodes have been taped at different venues since the move to the CW. They’ve had stops in Missouri, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and California, taking the brand on the road.
They just announced that Roadblock would be held in Madison Square Garden in New York City. Doing so gives more people the opportunity to see their favorite wrestlers without having to travel to the Performance Center.
The Arenas are Bigger than the Performance Center
When you start wrestling for NXT, you have to move to Orlando, FL. That’s where the WWE Performance Center is. However, the actual area that tapings are set in is small.
The PC crowd is around 200 or so people, a stark contrast to the thousands that main roster arenas hold. For many wrestlers, the only opportunity to wrestle in front of that many people is to make it on the most important PLEs like Vengeance Day and Stand & Deliver.
By holding the smaller Tuesday special episodes outside of the PC, the lower-card wrestlers can perform in front of a large audience. That boost can help them get their confidence up and prepare them for a potential large PLE showing. Getting outside of the Performance Center can help wrestlers find their footing as they work in front of larger crowds.
The Fans Get Something They’ve Wanted for Years
NXT was first taped at Full Sail University, then moved to the Performance Center when the COVID pandemic hit the US. That meant filming regular episodes in Orlando for years. Fans were happy with that arrangement but an increased desire for them to travel across the country picked up steam over the last couple of years.
People wanted a chance to see NXT tape a regular episode outside of Orlando. When WWE announced the shows in Illinois and Missouri, fans were ecstatic. They finally could see a regular NXT episode in their hometowns.
Both cities had packed arenas, lots of action, and great surprises. WWE knew that fans had been clamoring for this for years, so they loaded up those episodes with things they would never forget. By taking NXT on the road, WWE fulfilled a request that was years in the making by the fans who love the show.
NXT Traveling Also Benefits the CW as Well
When WWE made the deal with the CW to air NXT on broadcast television, they wanted to make the show an attraction. They wanted value out of the deal by taking the brand to a whole new level.
By traveling across the country taping PLE’s and Tuesday special events in different arenas, the developmental prospects now are performing in front of thousands of people in large arenas. It gets them confident and ready for larger PLEs and the main roster.
This decision also gets viewers’ attention by promoting special episodes on their social media sites. If an NXT episode is broadcast from a large arena, people would be more inclined to tune in because it’s shown as a big deal.
The decision to travel to different arenas has helped the wrestlers, the fans, and the CW in a huge way that has made the partnership good for everyone.
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