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WWE ThunderDome was an important part of WWE programming throughout the pandemic. In 2020, WWE's income was considerably reduced when the pandemic arrived. They were forced to do shows without an audience. Major arenas remained closed, so WWE was forced to air all of its programming from its Performance Center in Florida. Major WWE shows were filmed without any audience.
Wrestling didn't seem as interesting as it used to be. WWE used talent from the Performance Center to create the effect of an actual crowd. However, a few hundred people were not enough. WWE's ratings also faced a major downfall. Turns out, WWE ThunderDome was the perfect solution.
On August 21st, 2020, WWE debuted its ThunderDome. It consisted of live fans who joined via the internet. The arena consisted of multiple LED screens, on which the live audience would appear. This was the perfect substitute for physical fans. It wasn't just a substitute, it also provided some new elements in WWE's programming.
WWE made great use of the ThunderDome. They used fake crowd sounds so people watching from home felt better connected. However, the reactions of fans on the LED screens were real. The fake crowd sounds WWE used couldn't exactly behave as real fans. The ThunderDome would boo the heel wrestlers and cheer up the faces, which isn't always the case with real fans.
The Thunderdome was also used to create great spots with wrestlers spilling safely into 'the crowd'. It also helped make Superstar entrances more interesting. WWE also used it to build storylines. Some of the storylines could only take place in the ThunderDome. Goldberg was seen on one of the screens while the company was trying to create hype about Roman Reigns vs Goldberg. Drew McIntyre threw Sheamus onto the LED screens leading to sparks and explosions. The Retribution and The Fiend felt more legitimate. Bray Wyatt also cut a promo where he appeared as The Fiend and himself simultaneously. The ThunderDome was also used to create more emphasis on promos.
WWE's ThunderDome retired on the July 12th episode of RAW. It wasn't able to completely replace the WWE Universe, but it was the best alternative. This was one of the few concepts that made WWE interesting during the pandemic. Thankfully, fans are now returning to the WWE starting July 16th. Hopefully, WWE won't need to use the ThunderDome again.
