WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) is the largest professional wrestling promotion in the world, hosting shows in cities across the United States and around the world. With its headquarters in Stamford, Connecticut, WWE has a passionate fanbase who are eager to see their favorite superstars like Roman Reigns, Brock Lesnar, and Becky Lynch live in action.
Greenville, South Carolina is one city that has hosted WWE events in the past and is often speculated as a potential future tour stop for the sports entertainment giant. As the largest city in the Upstate region of South Carolina, Greenville has a metro population of over 800,000, making it an attractive market for WWE.
Fans in Greenville have been asking the question – is WWE coming back to Greenville anytime soon? While not officially confirmed, there are some promising signs that point to WWE making a return to the Bon Secours Wellness Arena or other venues in the near future.
WWE History in Greenville
WWE has a long history of hosting events in Greenville stretching back over 30 years. Some of the highlights include:
Saturday Night’s Main Event – November 2, 1985
One of WWE’s original major shows, Saturday Night’s Main Event was hosted at the Greenville Memorial Auditorium in 1985. The event was headlined by Hulk Hogan defending the WWE Championship against “Cowboy” Bob Orton.
RAW – March 22, 1993
Monday Night RAW came to Greenville in 1993, emanating from the Greenville Memorial Auditorium. This was one of WWE’s first live RAW broadcasts as they began airing weekly in 1993.
SmackDown – November 2, 2004
The blue brand SmackDown came to the BI-LO Center (now Bon Secours Wellness Arena) in 2004. Top stars like Eddie Guerrero, Booker T, Rey Mysterio, and John “Bradshaw” Layfield appeared.
RAW – May 8, 2006
Monday Night RAW returned to Greenville in 2006, broadcasting live from the BI-LO Center. Triple H defended the WWE Championship against Kenny of the Spirit Squad on this show.
SmackDown – October 13, 2009
In 2009, SmackDown came back to Greenville at the BI-LO Center. This show featured world champion The Undertaker alongside other popular stars of the era like CM Punk, Batista, and Michelle McCool.
Recent WWE Live Events
In more recent years, WWE has brought non-televised live events to Greenville on a semi-regular basis. The Bon Secours Wellness Arena and Bon Secours Arena at The Grounds venues have hosted these shows featuring top WWE superstars.
Some of the recent live events in Greenville include:
Date | Venue |
---|---|
January 19, 2020 | Bon Secours Wellness Arena |
February 23, 2020 | Bon Secours Wellness Arena |
July 18, 2021 | Bon Secours Wellness Arena |
October 24, 2021 | Bon Secours Arena at the Grounds |
January 23, 2022 | Bon Secours Wellness Arena |
As shown by the history, Greenville has been a consistent tour stop for WWE over the past 30+ years. The passionate fanbase continues to turn out for both televised and non-televised events featuring sports entertainment’s top stars.
Why WWE Runs Events in Greenville
There are several key factors that make Greenville an attractive tour stop for WWE over the years:
Market Size
As noted earlier, the Greenville metro area has a population of around 800,000. It is the largest city in the Upstate region. This gives WWE a large potential audience to draw from who are within driving distance of the city.
Dedicated Fanbase
WWE has cultivated a dedicated fanbase in Greenville over the decades through repeated visits. Fans keep coming back anytime WWE rolls into town, whether for TV or live events, showing their passion for sports entertainment.
Venue Availability
Greenville has venues that can accommodate WWE events from intimate shows to major televised broadcasts. The Bon Secours Wellness Arena holds over 15,000 people, making it perfectly sized for any WWE show.
Strategic Location
Greenville’s location between Charlotte and Atlanta on the I-85 corridor makes it a strategic tour stop. WWE frequently runs weekends looping between those major markets, allowing Greenville to fill that gap.
Economic Impact
WWE events bring significant economic revenue to the city through ticket sales, merchandise, food/beverage, parking, hotels, and more. Greenville leadership continues to prioritize attracting these high-profile events.
Will WWE Return to Greenville in 2023?
While not yet officially confirmed, all signs point to WWE likely returning to Greenville at some point in 2023.
Some key reasons why WWE should be expected back in Greenville soon:
Consistent Market
As shown by the long history, Greenville has been a regular tour stop for over 30 years. WWE knows they have a faithful audience there. Unless circumstances change drastically, WWE has no reason to skip Greenville in 2023.
New Leadership
With Triple H now heading creative and live events, he may be more inclined to return to proven WWE markets like Greenville after the pandemic disrupted schedules.
Launch of NXT Europe
In 2023, WWE is planning to launch its new NXT Europe brand. This will require touring Europe but also maintaining US schedules. Greenville is likely to remain a regular US stop.
Venue Availability
The Bon Secours Wellness Arena and Bon Secours Arena at The Grounds remain available venues that WWE has booked frequently in the past. Their size and location make them perfect WWE hosts.
Fan Demand
WWE fans in Greenville continue to express excitement and interest on social media hoping for a return in 2023. WWE will aim to satisfy that demand from its loyal audience.
Potential Dates for a 2023 Event
While any 2023 event isn’t confirmed yet, if WWE does return to Greenville as expected, here are some potential dates in the calendar that make sense:
January-February 2023
WWE typically tours heavily in the winter months after the hectic holiday schedule. With no major pay-per-views, early 2023 allows time for a Greenville stop.
Spring 2023
March-April offers another tour window without major WWE events like WrestleMania or SummerSlam. Placing Greenville here lines up perfectly.
October 2023
Fall tours pick up again after the SummerSlam boom. The lead up to Survivor Series provides opportunity for a Greenville show.
December 2023
WWE tends to hit certain U.S. markets for live events between Christmas and New Year’s when TV goes on break. Greenville is a strong candidate for this holiday spot.
Potential Matchups
If WWE does return to Greenville in 2023, here are some of the top matchups and superstars fans could expect to see at the show:
Roman Reigns
The reigning Undisputed WWE Universal Champion would likely headline a Greenville show as the top star in the company. Possible opponents include arch-rival Sami Zayn, Kevin Owens, Drew McIntyre or The Rock.
Becky Lynch vs. Bayley
A feud between these top women’s stars over the RAW Women’s Championship would make an excellent co-main event in Greenville.
Seth Rollins vs. Matt Riddle
Rollins and Riddle have been engaged in an intense rivalry that could headline a Greenville show in an exciting singles or tag team clash.
Bianca Belair vs. Alexa Bliss
The EST of WWE battling the wicked Alexa Bliss would be an intriguing matchup pitting two of the women’s divisions most popular stars against each other.
The Usos vs. The New Day
These two legendary tag teams could revive their classic rivalry in Greenville to ignite the crowd.
Sheamus & Drew McIntyre vs. The Viking Raiders
A battle between these hard-hitting tandems would bring the physicality to Greenville in what’s sure to be a brawl.
Potential Match | Prediction |
---|---|
Roman Reigns vs. Sami Zayn | Reigns retains title |
Becky Lynch vs. Bayley | Lynch retains title |
Seth Rollins vs. Matt Riddle | Rollins wins |
Bianca Belair vs. Alexa Bliss | Belair wins |
The Usos vs. The New Day | The Usos win |
Sheamus & Drew McIntyre vs. The Viking Raiders | McIntyre & Sheamus win |
Conclusion
In summary, while not yet officially announced, all evidence points to WWE likely returning to Greenville in 2023 given the city’s consistent history of hosting major events. Passionate fans can expect to see today’s top WWE superstars like Roman Reigns, Becky Lynch, Seth Rollins and more at venues like Bon Secours Wellness Arena sometime in the new year.
With new leadership focused on reconnecting with loyal wrestling markets, Greenville remains a prime location for live WWE action. As soon as tickets go on sale, 2023 will see the sports entertainment juggernaut make its anticipated return to Greenville, South Carolina much to the delight of the local WWE Universe.