Fans heading to the O2 Arena in London for next week’s SmackDown taping are getting a bonus well beyond the wrestling. WWE has announced that following the June 23 SmackDown taping, the FIFA World Cup match between England and Ghana will be shown on the arena’s screens for those in attendance.
The gesture is a smart bit of goodwill toward the UK fanbase. Taping SmackDown in London already makes for a marquee event — the O2 is one of the most recognizable venues in the country — and giving supporters the chance to watch the national side in a World Cup match without leaving their seats turns a wrestling night into a full evening’s entertainment.
England’s involvement in the World Cup is always a major cultural moment in the UK, and WWE clearly recognized an opportunity to make the London date feel like something more than a standard television taping. Offering the broadcast on the venue’s screens at no additional cost rewards the fans who made the trip and adds a layer of community atmosphere that extends the event well past the final bell.
It’s also a savvy move for WWE’s ongoing efforts to deepen its foothold in the European market. The promotion has been putting increased emphasis on international events in recent years, and going the extra mile for a London crowd — particularly around a moment as significant as a World Cup group stage fixture — reinforces that relationship.
Fans attending the June 23 SmackDown taping at the O2 Arena can plan to stay after the show wraps to catch the England vs. Ghana match on the big screens inside the venue.
Source: Wrestling Observer / F4W
