WWE is switching things up for Thanksgiving weekand this time, its actually good news for the wrestlers and crew.
According to WrestleVotes Radio, the company has officially decided to give its talent the day off on Black Friday by taping the November 29 episode of SmackDown in advance.
To make it happen, WWE will hold a dual taping at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado on Friday, November 22. The company will film both the live episode for that night and the Black Friday edition, freeing up the roster to spend Thanksgiving weekend at home with their families.
This change is a big contrast from past years, when WWE came under fire for booking shows during major holidays. Fans might remember Raw airing live on Christmas night back in 2017 from Chicagos Allstate Arena. While the idea drew some criticism, it still sold out.
That moment seemed to define WWEs no-days-off grind, but times are changing under the new TKO strategy, which has seen WWE scale back on non-televised events to cut costs and boost profits.
Still, holiday wrestling has deep roots. Thanksgiving used to be a major night for Jim Crockett Promotions and the NWA, which ran Starrcade every year as their version of WrestleMania.
Even Christmas night wrestling has a strong history. WWE has kept the tradition alive in recent years with a lucrative post-Christmas live tour, running packed shows across North America during the week between Christmas and New Years.
The SmackDown episode taped on November 22 will also serve as the go-home show for Survivor Series, which airs Saturday, November 29 from San Diego, California. WWE is banking on solid viewership and holiday momentumwithout overworking its roster.
Do you think WWE made the right call giving its Superstars Thanksgiving weekend off, or should they have kept the live show tradition alive? Drop your thoughts in the comments and let us know how you feel about the move.
