Before Smackdown went on the air, reports started to surface that some fans were being kicked out of the arena. This was due to them wearing All Elite Wrestling (AEW) merchandise. A fan got some video footage of a security guard confirming that they were originally kicking fans out. This decision was ultimately reversed.
Cody and Brandi Rhodes were asked about this by Wrestling INC.
Here is what Cody had to say:
“I mean, we like blew up the whole sky right across the street from their building. But you can’t throw people [out]. If people part with their money to get tickets, you can’t turn them away.”
Brandi:
“I’m happy if they got back in. I know a procedure a lot of times is if there’s something that you can’t show [on your shirt], they turn it inside out or you put it down. As long as they comply, I hope they stay in and enjoy the show.”
Cody:
“I bet it’s isolated. I can’t see them going full-court press: no AEW merch inside and if they did that’s a mistake because Jacksonville, for WWE and the shows I’ve been, it’s been a soft market. It’s not a market that they’ve regularly sold out, so if you’ve got fans parting with their money, you’re an idiot to turn them away.”
On a related note, check out the full roster for AEW so far.