BREAKING: WWE Plans to Start Touring Again in June, SmackDown Event Confirmed

WWE is planning on touring again starting in June. The SmackDown originally scheduled for Columbus, Ohio on Friday, April 10, has been moved to June 12. I contacted a local ticket rep, and she confirmed that the company is planning to still have the event on the rescheduled date.

In addition, WWE has also updated its live event schedule to show SmackDown being the first road event outside of the WWE Performance Center and Full Sail, where the WWE and NXT tapings have been held for several weeks due to the COVID-19 restrictions. As a result of the stay-at-home order in both Florida and nationally, WWE was forced to cancel WrestleMania 36 in Tampa, Florida, and tape it inside the WWE PC instead for the first time ever.

WWE also has subsequent events scheduled as well, including NXT in Tampa, Largo and Fort Pierce, Florida, on June 13, 20, and 26, respectively, the rescheduled Madison Square Garden event on June 27 — which I also talked to a rep and confirmed — as well as a WWE Live event scheduled for July 2 in Osaka, Japan.

According to an order from Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, WWE is now considered an essential business in the state. In a statement released to multiple news outlets, WWE stated, “We believe it is now more important than ever to provide people with a diversion from these hard times. We are producing content on a closed set with only essential personnel in attendance following appropriate guidelines while taking additional precautions to ensure the health and wellness of our performers and staff.”

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Locally, in Ohio, the phasal process to reopen doors with start on May 1, according to Governor Mike DeWine. DeWine stated via Twitter, “I am an optimist and am confident that Ohioans will also live up to the challenge of doing things differently as we open back up beginning on May 1st.” He also stated in a recent tweet, “If businesses are not operating and people aren’t working, then state and local government will not have the revenue to serve constituents.”

Follow Chris Featherstone on Twitter @chrisprolific, and the Pancakes and Powerslams Show @cravewrestling. Subscribe to the Pancakes and Powerslams Show via the Crave Wrestling Facebook page.