 |
| The fireflies in Brooklyn were strong, and will be there for the next two years Photo Credit: WWE.com |
WWE's SummerSlam weekend this past year in Brooklyn was so nice that the worldwide conglomerate has signed on again for two more years. SummerSlam will be staying put for 2016 and 2017. Included in the deal are NXT Takeover specials and the Monday Night RAW episode for the night after. WWE is ensuring that its secondary tentpole will remain in the biggest market for two years and further establishing the transition of its New York hub from Madison Square Garden to Barclays.
Overall, I feel this is a good move. With WrestleMania being the traveling show, having the second biggest show in one spot makes it a nice counterbalance. Plus, New York is a hub for not only wrestling but for the pop culture of the entire nation if not world. Close to 50 million people live within two hours, and it is easily accessed from ESPN headquarters, should that coverage also become a yearly thing. The biggest news to me is the inclusion of Takeover for both years. The first Takeover: Brooklyn special proved that NXT is no longer just a developmental brand anymore, and that people are eager to flock to big arenas to see it with thousands of other like-minded fans. Previously, SummerSlam had been set up in residence in Los Angeles for five years prior.