WWE ThunderDome For August 21 SmackDown Reaches Max Capacity Within 30 Minutes

On Monday, WWE launched WWE ThunderDome, a new "viewing experience" at the Amway Center in Orlando, Florida. The company intends to create a "WrestleMania-level production" with pyrotechnics, lasers, "cutting-edge" graphics, and drone cameras. The new set will be unveiled on this week's edition of SmackDown, but a first look inside the Amway Center revealed the company is seemingly planning to surround the ring with metal pillars, similar to Bartertown's Thunderdome.

Fans will also appear on WWE TV for the first time since March as the company plans to position close to 1,000 LED boards in the lower bowl of the arena. Fans can sign up to be in the crowd at wwethunderdome.com.

Registration for Friday's SmackDown opened earlier today at 3:51 am BST and the new initiative proved to be immensely popular with fans as ThunderDome reached maximum capacity within 30 minutes.

At 4: 20 am BST, WWE tweeted: "Reached max capacity within 30 minutes #WWEThunderDome has reached maximum capacity for #SmackDown this Friday. Stay tuned for your chance to register for virtual seats in the WWE ThunderDome at #SummerSlam!"