We often hear from WWE that the fans are the real star of the show, which is a nice sentiment, but they don’t really mean it. Not literally. Unfortunately, some members of the WWE Universe have decided to take it literally, and over the past few weeks, all three members of The Shield have had run-ins with unruly fans. Both Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose have been approached by audience members who jumped the barriers, and Roman Reigns was knocked loopy by a fan-made Money in the Bank briefcase in a scary moment. Last night at Night of Champions, there was yet another incident, when a fan hit the ring during the Shield vs. Wyatts six-man tag.
Traditionally, there was an unwritten code, that if a fan got in the ring, the wrestlers had free reign to stick their boots up said fan’s ass. For legal and public image reasons, that’s seemingly no longer the case, and a certain immature element has decided to take advantage. Well, if WWE can no longer cause unruly fans actual pain, they’re going to hurt them in the courtroom. WWE issued this statement after the most recent fan run-in…
“WWE takes the safety of our performers very seriously and any fan entering the ring area will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
According to PWInsider, WWE isn’t messing around with this new warning. In the past, jumping the barrier typically got you a lifetime ban from WWE events, but the law wasn’t brought into things. That changes now, as WWE intends to pursue the “most stringent prosecution possible” for fans who try to insert themselves in the show. WWE may even pursue line-crossing fans in civil court if criminal charges can’t be laid.
So, if you ever find yourself considering jumping the barrier or attacking a wrestler, first, don’t be a jerk; doing so is a danger to both yourself and the performers, and makes the show less enjoyable for everybody. Second, know that doing so could result in you walking away with a criminal record and even jail time. Your split-second of infamy won’t be worth it. Trust me.
via PWInsider
