Hillsborough County commissioner Les Miller told Fox 13 in Tampa, Fla., that he'd "probably" have to cancel WrestleMania 36 if WWE doesn't choose to do so because of concerns about the coronavirus pandemic. The annual event is set to take place April 5 at Raymond James Stadium.
"I'm hoping that [WWE chairman and CEO] Vince McMahon and WrestleMania and WWE make the call themselves, but a week from now if they've not done that and we're still in the situation we're in, we'll probably have to pull the plug on that," Miller told Fox 13 on Thursday.
Rewatch classic fights on DAZN
Miller's comments align with those of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has said that cities and counties in the state should cancel large gatherings over the next 30 days to limit the spread of the virus. WrestleMania 36 is expected to bring approximately 70,000 people from around the world to Raymond James Stadium.
Sporting News reached out to WWE for an update on the status of WrestleMania 36. The company pointed back to the statement it shared Thursday: "While we remain committed to hosting WrestleMania at Raymond James Stadium on Sunday, April 5, we are putting contingency plans in place in the event that it is canceled by government officials, civil authorities, and/or local venues."
On Friday, WWE continued on the road toward WrestleMania by holding "SmackDown" without fans in attendance at its performance center in Orlando. WWE hyped its biggest annual event throughout the show, operating as if WrestleMania 36 will still take place.
A source close to the situation told Sporting News that the standoff between the county and WWE is a "high stakes game of chicken."
"I commend every sports franchise for erring on the side of caution," Hillsborough County sheriff Chad Chronister told Fox 13. "I hope the WWE follows suit. I don't ever want to see people put profit over public safety."
