Ahead of tonight’s NXT Takeover 31 special Sports Illustrated conducted an interview with Triple H where the Game revealed that tonight’s venue, previously known as the WWE Performance Center, will now be known as the Capitol Wrestling Center. Triple H would add that the name change is a sort of reset, and will better fit the vibe of the yellow-and-black brand going forward.
It’s a historic callback to where this all began. We gutted the Performance Center and it’s now rebuilt, so it feels like we’re going back to the beginning. To me, it feels like we’re going back to 1953. Just like then, we’re doing something different and new, taking the business to a whole new level. The Capitol Wrestling Center captures the feel and the vibe of NXT. We will have all the bells and whistles of the ThunderDome, but we’ll keep that NXT feel. It’s edgier, darker and raw—you’re walking into the ultimate heavy metal soundstage.
Besides the addition of virtual fans similar to the WWE Thunderdome, Triple H states that there will be roughly 100 live fans in attendance.
There will be a contingent of fans in attendance, some of which will be talent, others will be friends and family and some will be fans,” said Levesque. “We will take every safety precaution that there is. All of this was signed off by our medical staff. Everybody that walks in the building will be PCR tested, take a questionnaire and be medically screened. There will be plexiglass pods with fans that are in groups, and the groups will vary in size. Everyone will wear masks, and each group will never be near anyone else.
He also assures fans that safety precautions will be taken to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
We’re taking every single precaution we can, which needs to be done safely, and it’s important to us because fans are the lifeblood of what we do,” said Levesque. “The real core of this is the fans in those seats reacting to what we do. That gives us our energy and our drive. They dictate the story, and having them there makes all the difference in the world.
The Game later explains why they chose not to run at the Amway Center, which has been where the WWE main roster events have been taking place.
Since we have a permanent residence at the Amway Center, there was talk of NXT running there, but I was very resistant to that,” Levesque said. “Don’t get me wrong, the spectacle of it is awesome. But one of my goals is to make sure NXT has its own feel and vibe. Now we’re ready to make our splash, and when people see what we have created, people will understand why this is the best environment for us.
On Full Sail:
We are not severing our relationship with Full Sail,” Levesque said. “I’m very proud of all we’ve done there. This move is the right decision for us from a tech standpoint, but I look forward to returning there soon and the partnership remains strong.
Check out the full interview here.