WWE Being Sued For Being Too Loud
A fan is suing the WWE for loss of hearing after a pyrotechnic explosion at an event.
The world of professional wrestling is no stranger to controversy, scandal, and in many cases, lawsuits. Most recently, WWE fan and WrestleMania 38 attendee, Marvin Jackson, filed a lawsuit on January 12 because of hearing loss he experienced in his left ear after a pyrotechnic blast occurred during the event. A recent PWInsider article states that the lawsuit stands on the grounds that WWE didn’t take the appropriate measures during the WrestleMania event.
Jackson claims that safer measures could have been taken by WWE at the WrestleMania event in regard to how they handled the stage show. It has been alleged that WWE didn’t have proper warnings alerting spectators to wear hearing protection, and the fact that the event was hosted indoors at the AT&T Stadium compounded the injuries due to the closed atmosphere of the event. In other words, even with hearing protection, the proximity to the pyrotechnic blast, and the loudness of the blast should have been a matter of primary concern to WWE.
Jackson’s lawsuit against WWE for the WrestleMania event is for the amount of $1 million, and this accounts for “damages of any kind, penalties, costs, expenses, prejudgment interest, and attorney’s fees.” By the looks of it, Jackson has a strong case, citing WWE’s role in “carrying on an abnormally dangerous activity.” This isn’t the first time that pyrotechnic mishaps have caused issues at a WrestleMania event.
When Ronda Rousey won the 2022 Royal Rumble, the pyrotechnic portion of the event (also indoors) did not go as planned. In fact, it was nothing short of a disaster when the WrestleMania sign caught fire. This raises the question of why WWE continues to decorate indoor WrestleMania events with fires and explosions when they’re well aware of the potential threat to the talent and crowd.
You know the saying that there’s no such thing as bad publicity? In light of recent sexual misconduct scandals involving Vince McMahon vacating the CEO position of WWE, we’d venture to say that some publicity is bad. WWE’s mishandling of WrestleMania events only creates more controversy. While the popularity of WWE seems to be unwavering, the cost of settling lawsuits is surely a financial blow to the company, which will hurt its bottom line even more than McMahon’s secret payments.
Will WWE continue to engage in dangerous pyrotechnic activities after the WrestleMania 38 fiasco? Or will they continue to do more of the same defiantly dangerous displays, but with more precautions and safeguards in place? As the lawsuit progresses, we’ll know for sure what kind of hearing protection, if any, Marvin Jackson was wearing, and that will tell us how much responsibility WWE will assume for the WrestleMania incident.
In the meantime, it’s safe to say that it would be wise for WWE to do a serious line check on their pyrotechnic practices, especially when it comes to hosting indoor events. At the end of the day, the bottom line is important to shareholders, and if Jackson’s lawsuit has legs, WWE will have to dish out some serious change from the WrestleMania 38 incident.
Should WWE rule out indoor pyrotechnics entirely at WrestleMania events? Or should they continue to give the fans what they want, but with safeguards in place? At this point in time, all we can do is wait for a verdict while the courts decide.
