As life slowly shows signs of returning to pre-pandemic norms, look for AEW to begin touring again soon. And while we are bit away from any announcements, find out who Paul Heyman wants in the WWE Hall of Fame.
AEW To Begin Touring Again
It was a question of when, not if…but now AEW is to begin touring again.
That’s the big news coming down on Monday. This makes them the first of the two big American promotions to confirm plans.
AEW issued a release earlier in the day confirming the plans. Dynamite will return to touring beginning this July, with tickets on sale later this week.
What is likely not shocking is that the first few stops keep the promotion in Florida. That state has been among the first to relax capacity restrictions, plus it has been home to both AEW and WWE during the pandemic.
The touring takes the company to sites in Florida and Texas. They also announced some rescheduled dates for other states, pushing those events later in 2021 and early 2022.
It’s big news, without a doubt. As AEW noted, it’s their first touring since March of 2020, when shows came to a screeching halt.
Each promotion has had some live fans as they’ve been able to, but none have toured. WWE only just really brought live fans in significant numbers for April’s WrestleMania.
While they’ve yet to announce any formal plans, this may be motivation. There was already rumblings of WWE perhaps moving SummerSlam up and using that as their re-launch to touring.
Of course, SummerSlam is typically an August show. Even early date change speculation indicated it would still be in August.
It will be interesting to see what happens next. We do know that Vince McMahon does not like coming in second, so perhaps this inspires something from WWE.
Who Paul Heyman Wants In WWE Hall Of Fame
It’s not exactly WWE Hall of Fame season (that just passed), but it won’t stop us from discussing who Paul Heyman wants in the WWE Hall of Fame.
It is a really long list. Sort of.
For that, we just go to the social media post…
Let’s start talking about NEXT YEAR’s @WWE #HOF, shall we?
I hereby nominate …
The #ECW audience!
If there was ever a worthy #HallOfFame induction …
INDUCT or WE RIOT!pic.twitter.com/68WpwHmmVq
— Paul Heyman (@HeymanHustle) May 9, 2021
It would be an interesting concept, for sure. Plus, if we are splitting hairs…I’d sort of be getting inducted!
Me, and how many others? I can credit ECW for bringing me back to wrestling as a teen, and I have fond memories of my friends and I trekking every month for several years down to South Philadelphia.
And, anywhere else they did a show we could get to. I mean…we saw Sabu and Chris Jericho in a Rec Center in Glenolden, Pennsylvania!
Now, we might get rings? Oh…yea…probably not, there are quite a few fans.
Still…Heyman is spot on. Without the ECW fans, there is no ECW success.
My only feedback on this? Such an induction would make the most sense if and when WrestleMania returns to Philly.
There had been some rumblings that the city was in the running a couple years ago, but nothing recent.
Philadelphia has not hosted one in over 20 years, back when it was still happening in smaller arenas.
With Dallas and Hollywood next in line, the earliest possible slot wouldn’t be until 2024.
And, that’s even if WWE would induct an entire group of fans…or bring the Show of Shows back to Philly.