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Wrestling entertainment event draws 7,000 fans to Covelli Centre
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‘RAW LIVE’ LINE: Hundreds of wrestling fans line up at the Covelli Centre in downtown Youngstown to get into the WWE’s “Raw Live” show. The show Saturday night featured John Cena and Batista. According to Covelli Centre director Eric Ryan, the show drew approximately 7,000 patrons. It ranks as the first sellout for the newly named downtown arena. It was formerly known as the Chevrolet Centre.
YOUNGSTOWN — A World Wrestling Entertainment “RAW Live” show packed 7,038 fans into the newly-named Covelli Centre, making it the second largest audience at an event at the facility in its history.
“To see thousands of fans waiting for the doors to open is remarkable,” said Eric Ryan, the center’s executive director. “The community support of this facility lately has been amazing and we truly appreciate that they are choosing to spend their hard-earned discretionary money with us.”
The most-attended event ever at the facility, formerly known as the Chevrolet Centre, was a Feb. 21 boxing card headlined by Kelly Pavlik’s successful defense of his middleweight championship. That show brought 7,334 fans to the center.
Wrestling has been a strong draw for the center.
More than 6,200 tickets were sold for a July 25, 2008, WWE RAW presents SummerSlam Tour show, held on a Friday.
“We hope the next show here is for TV,” Ryan said.
Also, Willie Nelson is in concert at the center Friday, scheduled to start at 8 p.m.
More than 3,000 tickets for the concert are sold with a crowd of about 4,000 to 4,100 expected, Ryan said.
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