Minimalist Entrance Stage Appreciation

[EoE: Well There's Your Problem]

I've never had a problem with the bigger screens and LED boards and such. I mean, WWE is the big time after all, so it should probably look like it... But the three smaller screens placed around what I assume was the baseball dugout made for a pleasant change of pace tonight. You often lose talents within the big walls of light and colour, so it looked really cool. I'd suggest that's probably what the weekly TV sets should look like.

[Mozenrath]

Needs a car over the entrance.

[Old Jack Burton]

I believe this was the same set-up used at Super Showdown in Melbourne. I liked it. Some wrestlers, such as Drew McIntyre, benefited greatly from the focus going from the set to the person during their entrance.

[A Platypus Rave]

I miss having more unique entrances.

Especially with Smackdown and Raw also sharing sets.

[Cieto]

It was hardly a stage in reality, just some led panels in front of some steps. I was underwhelmed at first but grew to appreciate it's unique look throughout the show. They probably saved a ton of money deciding against a bigger stage under the stadium tron.

[BitterAF]

I liked it along with the curve in the entrance. Had an old school feel to it.

[Super Duper Dragunov]

I probably would have liked it more if

1. it wasn't done at the Royal Rumble, when the entrances are really important to see
2. the camerawork wasn't god awful and kept messing stuff up
and
3. the horrible crappy CGI graphics on the screen ruining the entrances even more

I couldn't stand it.

[Macho Pichu]

I tend to prefer PPVs to have unique sets, but since this was different from the norm, it certainly qualifies. Plus, the AR stuff was placed close to where the Tron would normally go, so they actually served a purpose. Then there's the fact that it didn't block off part of the stands, so it allowed them to sell more tickets, which is nice for them, I suppose.

[Deleted]

one of the bright spots of the show was the stage, I loved it so much.

so much better than the huge sets that all look the same.

[Deleted]

I was stunned to see that setup in photos and videos last night. It's like they were really listening to us harp on about things they could do different to break their mold & look more visually interesting.

If this was WrestleMania, I think they'd have done the giant usual set-up - more people, more money, more time. There was apparently a lot of unused space in that park last night; I reckon they'd have configured it differently for a WM.

But it being the Rumble probably gave them the extra excuse to go smaller.... but they also had to deal with the baseball park element of it so they also had to think different. That seems to have had a very nice result last night.

I don't recall the last time we've even seen a big WWE PPV in a baseball park, which does have that logical difference with the dugouts. They did shows in the '80s in baseball parks, and I see local indy shows do them too, and I think all of them have to use the dugouts as the entrance.

So yeah, this was refreshingly nice and I'm all for more shows being designed outside that comfy box they've lived in for 20 years now.

[Gus Richlen: Ruffian]

Jan 28, 2019 7:58:24 GMT -5 @knapp said:

I was stunned to see that setup in photos and videos last night. It's like they were really listening to us harp on about things they could do different to break their mold & look more visually interesting.

If this was WrestleMania, I think they'd have done the giant usual set-up - more people, more money, more time. There was apparently a lot of unused space in that park last night; I reckon they'd have configured it differently for a WM.

But it being the Rumble probably gave them the extra excuse to go smaller.... but they also had to deal with the baseball park element of it so they also had to think different. That seems to have had a very nice result last night.

I don't recall the last time we've even seen a big WWE PPV in a baseball park, which does have that logical difference with the dugouts. They did shows in the '80s in baseball parks, and I see local indy shows do them too, and I think all of them have to use the dugouts as the entrance.

So yeah, this was refreshingly nice and I'm all for more shows being designed outside that comfy box they've lived in for 20 years now.

WM19 was in Safeco Field in Seattle. Though that was 16 years ago.

[Clash, Never a Meter Maid]

I didn't care for it. I don't always need to have a massive LED screen every show and I'm glad they switched it up, but one thing I liked about WCW was how they themed their sets, like the way Haloween Havoc always looked spooky. WWE ought to try something like that cool "brick alleyway" setup they tried at Royal Rumble 2000. This 2019 one was a little too low-key for a show like the Rumble, IMO.

[Deleted]

Jan 28, 2019 8:31:35 GMT -5 Gus Richlen: Ruffian said:

WM19 was in Safeco Field in Seattle. Though that was 16 years ago.

...wait, Safeco Field is a baseball stadium. Wow. Totally thought it was a football stadium.

[YAKMAN is ICHIBAN]

I thought the entrance was boring, and the CGI stuff was just the worst.

You can't have a less interesting entrance than your weekly show, and it isn't interesting just because it is different.

Needed something more. Not a LOT more, but something.

[edgestar]

I liked it a lot. They went with something different, for the stadium, and it looked nice, to me.