Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Venues raising bar for fans of Wrestlemania
DUNDEE wrestling fans will be able to swap the sofa for the bar stool as city centre pubs screen an American event live for the first time.
Nether Inn on the Nethergate will put on a live broadcast of wrestling’s equivalent of the World Cup final next month.
The pub has secured a late licence which will see Wrestlemania screened live in a Dundee pub — despite it finishing at 4am.
The Braes on Perth Road will also be screening the event.
Wrestling fan and Nether Inn duty manager Ryan Hanlon said the pub has fans from Aberdeen coming down for the event.
Revellers will be able to enjoy a tipple as they watch WWE superstars including John Cena, Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar powerslam their opponents on to the canvas.
Ryan said: “We’ve sold more than 30 tickets so far and we’ve generated a lot interest.
“It will be shown on 12 screens around the pub — we have the capacity to hold 180 people.
“We are also inviting the punters to come in wearing fancy dress as well so there is a competition for that.
“I’m aware the student union has done this before but this is the first time pubs in Dundee have done it.
“The staff will be dressed up on the night as well.”
The ticketed event on April 8 will kick-off with a pre-show at 10pm and will go on right to the end at 4am.
Ryan added: “We’ve had walk-in inquiries asking about the event.
“People ranging from 18 to 50 years old have been inquiring about tickets.
“I think this will be a different experience to what we would normally get with the football and rugby crowd.
“There are some massive matches on the card — and there’s talk that The Undertaker will be coming back. Dundee loves its wrestling – local organisations like Scottish Wrestling Entertainment, have had great success.
“I know some fans would traditionally struggle to stay awake to watch it at home but it will be an entirely different experience in the pub.”
Tickets for the event are priced at £5, with £2 going to the SAMH charity.
SAMH currently operates more than 60 services in communities across Scotland providing mental health social care support, homelessness, addictions and employment services, among others.