WWE back at Meridian Centre
With the World Wrestling Federation’s NXT brand returning to Meridian Centre next month, could the company’s flagship shows be on the way?
Is a Raw or Smackdown broadcast in the cards for St. Catharines?
Don’t count on it, says arena spokeswoman Kay Meilleur.
While the venue can accommodate up to 6,000 people for a concert, it can’t quite meet the demands of a live WWE broadcast.
Which doesn’t rule out a regular WWE house show, Meilleur adds.
“We just can’t do the live TV versions as we don’t have enough room for that in the building.”
NXT, which showcases some of WWE’s developmental talent, returns to Meridian Centre on Feb. 23. It follows a successful show last September — the company’s first event at the arena — which featured Bobby Roode, Ember Moon and Asuka. Moon returns for the February show, this time as women’s champ. Also on the card will be NXT champ Andrade (Cien) Almas, Aleister Black, Adam Cole and tag team champions The Undisputed Era.
“We have been working on securing a WWE event since the venue opened in ’04,” says Meilleur. “Starting small with the NXT event last year was a great way to introduce them to our building.
“Every promoter looks for something different. If we have kinks, they will let us know what they are and we do our best to fix them. The feedback we got from the promoter was great and is definitely why they are back again this year.”
Tickets start at $28.25 plus fees, available at www.ticketmaster.ca or by phone at 1-855-985-5000. Tickets are also on sale at Meridian Centre’s box office.
“We are very hopeful that we’ll have a big (wrestling) show in the near future,” says Meilleur. “In the meantime, NXT is great entertainment for live wrestling fans and an opportunity to see the next great stars.”