Florida Designates Pro Wrestling 'Essential Business'

https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/04/14/834098998/florida-designates-pro-wrestling-essential-business

Greg Allen
April 14, 2020

World Wrestling Entertainment resumed its live televised shows Monday at its facility in Orlando without fans present. After weeks of airing taped pro wrestling matches, WWE received permission last week with a signed order from Florida's Emergency Management Director. The order says "employees at a professional sports and media production with a national audience" are exempt from a stay-at-home order as long as "the location is closed to the general public."

The order was signed April 9. At a press conference Monday, Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings said when Florida Governor Ron DeSantis ordered a statewide lockdown April 1, at first, WWE was not exempted. "With some conversation with the governor's office regarding the governor's order, they were deemed an essential business," Demings said. "And so therefore, they were allowed to remain open."

The order opens the way for Ultimate Fighting Championship and other professional sports associations to resume production and live events in Florida, as long as they're done without an audience.

The WWE events are resuming after the online news site Pro Wrestling Sheet reported one of those involved with the production's on-air staff tested positive for the coronavirus.

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