Why WWE Canceled May 27 NXT Taping at Tampa’s Yuengling Center Revealed

We now know why WWE suddenly scrapped plans to tape the May 27, 2025 episode of NXT Live on The CW in Tampa—and it all came down to the crowd.

According to a new report from PWInsider.com, the taping at Tampa’s Yuengling Center was canceled due to “concerns over low ticket sales and the potential impact on the show’s broadcast atmosphere.” While WWE had already sold a number of tickets for the event, the turnout wasn’t hitting internal expectations for a venue of that size.

WWE officials reportedly believed “the show would come across stronger in terms of atmosphere on television from the WWE Performance Center,” especially with the arena just a short drive away in Orlando. The fear was that a smaller crowd inside a large building would hurt the energy on-screen and make the event feel underwhelming to fans watching on The CW.

During the May 20 episode of NXT, Vic Joseph confirmed the change live on air, announcing that the May 27 edition would air from the Performance Center instead.

This marks yet another example of WWE leaning into their trusted home base for NXT—a venue that allows for tighter production, louder crowd reactions, and a more controlled environment, especially when a big crowd isn’t guaranteed.

Do you think WWE made the right call pulling the plug on the Tampa taping? Should they take more risks with NXT venues or stick to what works in Orlando? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.