WrestleMania 36 will commence on April 5, but this year’s pay-per-view could be the last of its kind. As documented by Sportskeeda , wrestling analyst Justin LaBar has revealed that WWE ‘s marquee show could take place over two days starting as early as 2021.
While this is only speculation at the time of this writing, it isn’t beyond the realm of possibility. In recent years, many fans and pundits have complained about the length of the iconic show, which has been known to last up to eight hours. By splitting the pay-per-view into two parts, it will give fans their money’s worth without fatigue setting in.
WWE is also adamant about getting the majority of the roster on the show. A two-day event will give them more opportunities to feature the company brands and their superstars quite prominently, and perhaps the performers will even get to participate in more meaningful matches since they won’t be crammed into a single-day event.
As noted by Ringside News , Friday Night SmackDown announcer Corey Graves has also expressed his desire to see WrestleMania become a two-day event. In the past, he’s described the showcase as feeling like it’s “31 hours” long, and in recent years, he’s been responsible for calling the majority of the show.
W O R D L I F E .
The #DrOfThuganomics is BACK! ? #WrestleMania @JohnCena pic.twitter.com/A9GKCXakKu
— WWE (@WWE) April 8, 2019
The two-day model has served other companies well. New Japan Pro Wrestling’s Wrestle Kingdom pay-per-view has adopted this approach and found great success with it. The shows tend to attract a global fan base, and the majority of the matches don’t feel like filler.
Furthermore, a two-day event would allow WWE to take business away from rival promotions. WrestleMania weekend always features other companies hosting events in the same city in an effort to capitalize on wrestling fans from all around the world uniting in the same place. Another day of WWE’s big pay-per-view would likely prevent fans from attending those others shows and supporting them.
Vince McMahon has also experimented with WrestleMania in the past. For example, the second installment of the pay-per-view emanated from two different arenas in a bid to attract more fans. A two-day event, however, would likely have a similar effect, as WWE could release tickets for the individual nights, with an alternative weekend package for a higher fee.
It remains to be seen what WWE’s plans are, but a two-day WrestleMania has been a topic of conversation for years. The change could even happen this year, as the company is reportedly toying with all kinds of ideas .
