Are WWE fans sufficiently well-behaved at live events to allow me to take my 10 year old daughter?

July 25, 2012 9:53 AM

My 10 year old daughter has fallen in love with the WWE and wants me to take her to a live show. Being a dutiful father, I'm happy to take her but I have some concerns. I know that the WWE intends their product to be PG-13 and it all looks surprisingly kid-friendly, but I'm not worried about the show. I'm worried about the other fans in the arena. Can anyone tell me what kind of crowd shows up at these events? Are they comparable to N.F.L. fans, i.e. drunk and foul-mouthed, or are they more tame? Can I safely take my daughter without fear of her having beer spilled on her head, seeing her dad challenged to a fight or having her vocabulary of obscenities expended exponentially?
posted by Jamesonian to sports, hobbies, & recreation (13 answers total)

Yes, you can. I took my pre-teen daughter and sons to an event at MSG and it was fine. It was no different than taking them to a Yankee game. Some fans were drinking and cursing, but for the most part no. I actually had one guy apologize for the cursing when he saw I was with kids. I have found that the better the seats, closer to the stage I mean ring, the more reasonable they were. If you sit up top, you do take risk.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 9:58 AM on July 25, 2012 [3 favorites]

I agree with JohnnyGunn. I'd liken the crowds at WWE shows to MLB crowds -- the occasional drunk loudmouth is very much in the minority and will be quickly shut up by the people around him and/or security. Especially around little girls.
posted by Etrigan at 10:11 AM on July 25, 2012

Good on you for wanting to make sure the event is appropriate for your kid!

I've been a few times. The last time I was with the crowd was in 1996 or 1997. The crowd has evolved over the last two decades, and I think that you'll find that most people there, for varying reasons, are a little less rough than an NFL crowd.

Mostly, JohnnyGunn seems to have the right of it, from my experience.

1. There was some swearing last I was there, but not a crazy amount. I agree that people will likely tone it down if they realize that there is a 10 year-old girl around them.

2. I've never seen any beer-related problems, and it just doesn't feel like that kind of crowd (I mean, people will be drinking there, but they are not there to get sloppy-fighty drunk).

3. I would love to know how many fights have ever occurred at wrestling matches that did not involve a wrestler. I suspect it is miniscule.

I agree with the assessment re: nearness to the ring, though the specific reasons for that escape me. Have a great time!
posted by Poppa Bear at 10:11 AM on July 25, 2012

I'm female, and Dad took me to see the WWF when I was 10. The only danger was existential -- I realized wrestling was rigged about five minutes into the first match!
posted by vorfeed at 10:17 AM on July 25, 2012 [9 favorites]

WWE has had a shift in tone since the "Attitude Era" when things were more racy and violent to the point of bleeding in some instances, and their rating reflects that. While 10 years ago, Raw was rated TV-14, it is now rated TV-PG and the audience has expanded to reflect that.

This is what WWE says about their live product on the WWE Parents website:

"[P]arents should be aware that attending a live event is very much like attending a major sporting event or concert. WWE has enthusiastic fans, many of whom bring signs and banners to show their support of particular WWE Superstars. Children may be exposed to language or behavior in the audience that some parents may find inappropriate, just as they might at a football, hockey or baseball game or rock music concert. If this occurs, parents and other audience members should contact their local usher at the arena for assistance. WWE wants fans to have fun at our live events, but we do not condone rude and boorish behavior."

So, it's the same as a football game or baseball game. If someone is out of line, they get reported and they will be dealt with. No one will pick on a little girl at the event.
posted by inturnaround at 10:29 AM on July 25, 2012

I took some of my young relatives to a WWE match in order to ingratiate myself as the cool gay cousin/uncle, and as much as that might sound like the set-up for a sitcom, there was no real conflict, and, as usual, it was my language I was most having to keep in check.

I went into the situation more worried about interactions with the fans themselves, but it turned out that was just me buying into the stereotype of what wrestling fans are like (which, as someone who had to overcome the stereotype of 'gay guys don't like wrestling except for the oiled up guys' maybe I shouldn't have been so quick to jump to.)

I guess what I'm saying is assholes are everywhere, and there's no guarantee that there might not be something, but I'd sooner take kids to a WWE show than for example, the Wrigley Field bleachers or maybe even Soldier Field.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 10:32 AM on July 25, 2012 [2 favorites]

I have taken my son to several events over the last couple of years and found them to be very family friendly. I don't think they even sold beer.
posted by tman99 at 10:32 AM on July 25, 2012

Totally family friendly events. To contrast between sporting events you may be thinking of, WWE fans are fans of, well, WWE. There's favorite faces and heels, but even between passionate fans you just don't have the same tension you get when people are rooting for their home team against a rival.

On seats - ditto above about the rafter seats. I suggest you look for some in the first few rows in the stands. For short people the close floor seats have bad views even though you'll probably be standing the whole time.
posted by anti social order at 10:46 AM on July 25, 2012

I took my son when he was around 10, the show is family friendly, as everyone else said.
posted by 3dd at 11:00 AM on July 25, 2012

As a fan, I would definitely say that it is OK. The difference you may see is that at the house shows (non-televised) that folks are actually a little calmer since the atmosphere behind the show isn't as big. But you should be fine.
posted by deezil at 11:03 AM on July 25, 2012 [1 favorite]

I've been going to WWE/F shows for the better part of 30 years, including having taken a friend's 7-year-old son to matches during the height of the much raunchier "Attitude" era, as well as having taken my stepkids to shows when they were single-digit aged. The crowds are loud and enthusiastic, but far tamer in terms of behavior than typical NFL or MLB crowds. Taking my then 4-year-old son to an NFL game was far scarier than anything I've experienced at wrestling events.
posted by The Gooch at 11:20 AM on July 25, 2012

She may also love roller derbies. Super energetic, physical, tough and all women!
posted by barnone at 12:21 PM on July 25, 2012 [8 favorites]

The live show I went to last year was in Salt Lake City, which might skew a bit towards civility, but I'll n-th the "kid-safe" comments. There may be an "Asshole!" chant if Vince shows up, but that presumably will be no expansion to a 10 year old's vocabulary.
posted by Egg Shen at 12:41 PM on July 25, 2012