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Friday, May 22, 2020

Did Florida designate wrestling broadcast production as an essential service during the coronavirus shutdown?

William Boger, Gigafact Foundry
yes

On April 9, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis issued a memo adding to the list of "essential services" exempt from statewide closures imposed to slow the spread of the coronavirus. The memo specified "employees at a professional sports/media production with a national audience" along with workers providing mental health services and maintenance/security/health services at theme parks, entertainment complexes and zoos. The order required that any production should remain closed to the general public.

The statement allowed WWE, the producer of nationally broadcast live wrestling shows, to resume production at its facilities in Orlando. The mayor of Orange County, which includes Orlando, told reporters that the decision to amend the order happened after "some conversation" with the governor's office.

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