WWE SummerSlam Possibly Taking Place On A Saturday For The First Time Ever
The 2021 WWE SummerSlam pay-per-view is reportedly being scheduled for a Saturday night for the first time ever.
While not officially announced by WWE as of this writing, SummerSlam is reportedly scheduled for Saturday, August 21, according to Andrew Zarian of the Mat Men podcast.
The Sunday, August 22 date had been reported by multiple sources, but now word is that the event will be held the night before. Zarian added that his sources were "very surprised" at the Saturday booking, and noted that it could be an internal error of dates. Another Vegas source reported that the Saturday, August 21 date is happening. @Wrestlevotes also reported the Saturday date, but noted that it is currently "provisional" to the company. They also reported that Sunday, August 22 and Saturday, August 7 are shown as "holds" on an internal schedule, but WWE's preference is Saturday for SummerSlam. With that said, @Wrestlevotes admitted that they are not entirely sure what the SummerSlam date is as of now.
It was previously reported that Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada looked to be the venue for SummerSlam, and it's believed that this will be confirmed soon. WWE has wanted an outdoor stadium setting for the biggest pay-per-view of the summer and while Allegiant does not have a retractable roof, it does allow for an outdoor setting with its special roof and doors.
Allegiant, home of the NFL's Raiders, has a capacity of 65,000 fans for NFL games, and 61,000 for soccer games, but it can expand up to 72,000 people.
WWE will have some major competition in Vegas that night as the big Manny Pacquiao vs. Errol Spence Jr. PBC FOX boxing match will take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, which is about a 5 minute drive from Allegiant Stadium.
For what it's worth, Sports Business Journal reported today that WWE is considering six NFL stadiums to host SummerSlam, according to a source with knowledge of WWE's thinking. The report noted that venues under consideration are Hard Rock Stadium in Miami (Dolphins), SoFi Stadium near Los Angeles (Rams/Chargers), NRG Stadium in Houston (Texans), MetLife Stadium in New Jersey (Giants/Jets), Nissan Stadium in Nashville (Titans), and Allegiant Stadium.
SummerSlam 2021 will mark the first time WWE has held the big summer pay-per-view in a stadium in the United States. SummerSlam 1992 was held at Wembley Stadium in England.
Stay tuned for updates.