AEW may have to tone down the fireworks at All In this year after Wembley Stadium caught serious heat for using pyro during a government wildfire warning.
Dave Meltzer reported in the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter that fans shouldn’t expect the kind of massive fireworks display WWE has become known for, with AEW likely facing restrictions on what it can do at Wembley Stadium.
The issue blew up after The Weeknd’s August 14 concert at Wembley ended with a fireworks display despite the UK government sending an emergency alert to phones across England and Wales earlier that day warning of a “severe” wildfire risk.
“Don’t expect fireworks at the level of a WWE show at All In this year. The stadium is coming under criticism for the use of fireworks during Canadian pop star The Weeknd’s concert during a government emergency alert earlier warning against their use. The alert will likely cause AEW to be limited in what they would be able to do.”
The government warning specifically told people to avoid anything that could spark a fire, including fireworks.
“Residents, landowners and visitors should not undertake any activity that could start a fire, including disposable barbecues, firepits, garden incinerators or fireworks. Even a small flame can rapidly develop into a major wildfire placing lives, homes, businesses and emergency responders at risk.”
The Weeknd’s show still went ahead with its fireworks display, and that decision quickly drew criticism. Anton Georgiou, an elected government official, questioned why Wembley allowed it after such a direct warning.
“The government sent an emergency alert that was very explicit about the use of fireworks. Why then did Wembley Stadium think it was a good idea to allow a fireworks display at the national stadium? Terrible optics and dangerous.”
Wembley Stadium pushed back on the criticism, saying officials met with members of the Metropolitan Police and London Fire Brigade after receiving the alert. The venue also stressed that the fireworks were handled by professionals under controlled conditions.
“The firework display was a controlled performance, delivered within the Wembley Stadium footprint and subject to the stadium’s established safety procedures. All pyrotechnics at Wembley are designed, operated and managed by specialist professionals in accordance with the stadium’s pyrotechnics policy. The stadium also has a team of fire safety experts on site for every event.”
Brent Council also got involved and said it sought assurances from Wembley over how the situation was being handled.
“Given the government’s emergency alert, we sought and have received assurances from Wembley Stadium about its approach to fireworks during this event, including consulting with the London Fire Brigade.”
That puts AEW in a tricky spot heading into All In. Stadium shows usually come with plenty of pyro, especially for major entrances and the closing moments of the night, but the backlash from The Weeknd’s concert means AEW may have far less freedom to light up Wembley this time around.
Do you think limited fireworks will take anything away from AEW All In at Wembley, or does the show itself matter more than the pyro? Let us know what you think in the comments.
