The tapings for WWE’s 18th annual Tribute to The Troops will take place on Wednesday, December 2.
The WWE website published the ThunderDome FAQ for the TTTT taping today and noted that fans will be sent a link to join the ThunderDome crowd at around 10:30am ET on Wednesday, December 2. This indicates that the tapings will take place earlier in the day from the Amway Center in Orlando, instead of Wednesday night.
As noted, Tribute to The Troops will air Sunday, December 6 on FOX, in conjunction with the NFL games that are airing that afternoon. TTTT will air at 4:30pm ET for viewers who have a NFL game airing at 1pm ET, and at 3pm ET for viewers with a NFL game airing at 4:05pm ET.
The matches airing that Sunday will feature servicemen and women and their families from Marine Corps Air Station New River, US Army Post Fort Hood, U.S. Navy Aircraft Carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74), Naval Air Station Fallon and Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake will be in attendance, who were in the ThunderDome audience on Wednesday.
Stay tuned for more details on WWE’s 18th annual Tribute to the Troops. Below is the full announcement that was issued earlier this month, with comments from WWE Chairman & CEO Vince McMahon:
18th ANNUAL WWE® TRIBUTE TO THE TROOPS® TO AIR ON FOX
STAMFORD, Conn., November 11, 2020 – The 18th annual WWE Tribute to the Troops will air on FOX on Sunday, December 6, adjacent to Sunday’s regional NFL broadcasts. Viewers with an NFL matchup airing at 1:00 PM ET can watch WWE Tribute to the Troops at 4:30 PM ET; viewers with an NFL matchup airing at 4:05 PM ET can watch the special at 3:00 PM ET. The event will take place inside the state-of-the-art WWE ThunderDome™, and include servicemen and women and their families from Marine Corps Air Station New River, US Army Post Fort Hood, U.S. Navy Aircraft Carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74), Naval Air Station Fallon and Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake.
“Supporting the United States military year-round is an essential part of FOX Sports’ mission, and partnering with WWE on their Tribute to the Troops is an incredible extension of this ongoing commitment,” said Eric Shanks, Chief Executive Officer & Executive Producer, FOX Sports.
“This is a unique time and we look forward to providing our troops and their families with an interactive experience that only WWE can deliver as we celebrate our servicemen and women with millions of our fans watching at home on FOX,” said Vince McMahon, WWE Chairman & CEO.
In what is considered TV’s most patriotic and heartwarming show of the year, WWE began Tribute to the Troops in 2003 to honor our servicemen and women and their families and thank them for their continued sacrifice to our country. In addition to the event, WWE will also be hosting virtual meet and greet sessions with WWE Superstars and military members.
Marine Corps Air Station New River in North Carolina is home to Marine Aircraft Groups 26 and 29, Headquarters and Support squadron, and several premiere training units. New River also serves as the East Coast’s only rotary wing and tiltrotor Air Station, with approximately 8,000 Marines, Sailors and civilian employees.
With more than 37,000 active duty Soldiers and Airmen assigned to the post along with more than 100,000 family members, Fort Hood in Texas is the largest active duty armored post in the United States Armed Forces and trains an additional 22,000 Reserve Soldiers annually.
USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) is a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier responsible for protecting American interests across the globe. With 4.5 acres of sovereign U.S. territory, 75 aircraft, and a crew in excess of 5,000 Sailors while deployed, the John C. Stennis is one of the most lethal assets, capable of engaging in sustained power projection operations in support of U.S. and coalition forces.
The pinnacle in Naval Aviation training, Naval Air Station Fallon is the US Navy’s “Carrier in the Desert.” As the home of TOPGUN, the air base in Nevada’s high desert trains aircrews and Navy SEALS before they deploy around the globe.
Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake in Ridgecrest, CA, covers more than 1.1 million acres and is known for research, development and testing of some of the world’s most cutting-edge weapons, including the Sidewinder & Tomahawk.
In the coming weeks, WWE will announce celebrity guests from the world of sports and entertainment that will take part in the Tribute to the Troops broadcast on FOX.
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