After weeks of trying, my registration was successful. Last Monday on RAW, I virtually traveled to Florida and was present in the Thunderdome. As if proof were needed…
At 2am on Tuesday morning (Monday night in America), I was on one of the thousands of screens inside WWE’s answer to not having fans in attendance, the Thunderdome. Unfortunately, upon watching footage back I couldn’t spot myself in the venue. It definitely was an experience though. If you are wondering what the process is like, here is a behind the scenes guide on what it’s like being a WWE fan on screen in 2020.
Before the show
Successful registration is the first step. It is more luck than anything. A user clicks on https://www.wwethunderdome.com/register/ and registers their interest for the upcoming event. These usually fill up within 10 minutes of being announced. WWE’s official twitter is the best place to find out when the registration for the next show goes live. If you are successful, you receive a confirmation email with the following guidelines. These are taken directly from the email I was sent:
“All registered fans are further selected on a first-come, first-served basis. Please make sure you are camera ready. Remember, you will be appearing on a live show. We reserve the right to remove you from the live stream at any time, for any reason. The audience will be refreshed throughout the night and you may not be included in the entire broadcast. In addition, we may remove you from the live stream for any inappropriate conduct or technical issues. Watch the show through the stream on your device. Position yourself in front of your camera from your midsection up, leaving a little room above your head. Make sure you have good lighting. Only one fan permitted per seat. Your attire must be appropriate and must remain on at all times. Officially licensed WWE clothing is preferred, if available. We reserve the right to terminate your participation at our sole discretion if your attire contains any immoral graphics, images or text, any political statements, slogans, logos, graphics or other commercial identification of third-parties other than the WWE, its athletes and sponsors. “
Entering The Dome…
A screen similar to the one above is what you will first see. You are advised to stay within the lines and follow the guidelines. When the show begins, you then watch the show like it would be on TV, not from a certain perspective as if you were sat in an arena. Commentary is still present and every last camera cut can be seen. It very much is like watching the show on a Zoom call.
When the cameras stop rolling…
Like most TV shows, RAW has strategically placed advert breaks. If a fan was attending the show live pre-pandemic, wrestling will continue through the advert breaks. After all, it would be weird to stop during the breaks. So what do the fans in the Thunderdome see during advert break. Weirdly, adverts! I presumed I would be seeing a continual feed during the breaks as I was one of the lucky few to be “in attendance.” However, what the audience got instead were standard breaks, but not with regular TV adverts. Because the Thunderdome is a global experience, they can’t show standard adverts. After all, it wouldn’t be a lot of use showing me an advert for an American mobile phone provider that doesn’t exist here in Britain. Instead there are promotions for their online store or upcoming network events. These are not what would be seen on BT Sport here in the UK. However, that wasn’t the most bizarre aspect of my viewing experience.
Big Brother is watching me!
So without warning a voice comes through my speaker. It is not a superstar, a commentator or any on screen performer. There is someone in the production team telling us instructions. Granted some are straightforward, such as “This is a reminder, please dress appropriately for the camera.” But then there was the following instruction that made me perplexed:
“Alright everyone, here comes The Hurt Business. We want to see boos and lots of thumbs down. Thank you.”
I am literally being told how to react as a fan. I can’t cheer/boo who I want to. It was quite a shock being instructed what I can do to this degree.
Overall
So what did I think to the Thunderdome. Well firstly, I got to watch the show for free. Normally in the UK, WWE is viewed through a paid subscription service. Also, it is equally fun and distracting trying to spot yourself on camera while trying to watch the show. Would I do it again? Absolutely! Even though I am heavily instructed and don’t see anything extra, it was a fun experience. Plus, next time I might make it on screen…
Image credits
wwe.com
