Report: WWE Has A 4-Phase Plan To Bring Fans Back To Events

At Monday's WWE TV tapings, Superstars friends and family members appeared in the crowd alongside NXT wrestlers. The small group of "fans" reportedly had to sign waivers stating they wouldn't take any pictures or send out spoilers. The waivers also stated WWE wasn't liable if they contracted COVID-19.

Raj Giri at WrestlingInc. revealed "fans" appearing alongside NXT Superstars is the first phase of a four-phase plan WWE has put in place to eventually have fans attend shows. The next stage will involve less and less NXT Superstars being in the crowd as the company wants to wean them out in favour of having friends, family, and a small group of fans who know the performers in attendance. Friends and family will then be slowly removed in the third phase and the WWE Performance Center and Full Sail University will be opened to fans at 50 percent capacity. The company would then return to touring for TV and pay-per-views in the final phase. 

When WWE decides to move to the next stage remains to be seen. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has already announced sporting venues can operate at 50 percent capacity with appropriate social distancing and sanitisation protocols as of June 7. DeSantis may be forced to reimpose lockdown restrictions, however, as there have been 23,168 new coronavirus cases since June 7 and Florida had its largest single-day rise in cases on June 18.