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WrestleMania Fan Axxess

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WrestleMania Axxess
StatusActive
GenreProfessional wrestling
CountryUnited States
Inaugurated1988
Organized byWWE
Filing statusCorporate

WrestleMania Axxess is a professional wrestling fan convention held by WWE during the week of WrestleMania. The event typically runs for the three days prior to WrestleMania and features WWE talent and alumni autograph signings, interviews, fan activities, memorabilia displays, meet-and-greets and matches.

History

The first event happened in 1988, when the World Wrestling Federation in association with The Trump Organization prepared a small festival to celebrate WrestleMania IV. It included autograph signings, a brunch, and a five kilometer run; the event was held again in 1989 for WrestleMania V. In 1992, a festival was held the day of WrestleMania VIII which included a WWF superstar look-alike contest and a tournament for the WWF WrestleFest arcade game. In 1993, the WWF held a "WrestleMania Brunch" the day of WrestleMania IX at Caesars Palace, during the course of which Lex Luger attacked Bret Hart. In 1994, the WWF offered "Fan Fest" for the weekend of WrestleMania X, which allowed fans to step inside a WWF ring, participate in games, meet superstars, and purchase merchandise; the event was followed up in 1995 with another "Fan Fest" for WrestleMania XI. In 1999, the WWF held its first Saturday pre-WrestleMania event taking place on March 27, 1999. WrestleMania Rage Party as it was known was televised live on the USA Network from 10:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. (EST). The event was to be held at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. The idea of the event was "...to celebrate the final WrestleMania of the millennium..."[1][2]

The following year the WWF held its first WrestleMania Axxess event at the Anaheim Convention Center expanding upon the party idea of WrestleMania Rage Party. The event included autograph signings and mementos to inductees of the WWE Hall of Fame. There were also activities where fans could enter a wrestling ring and commentate a wrestling match.[3] In 2001, WrestleMania Axxess was held at the Reliant Hall which expanded upon the event by adding numerous activities including areas where attendees could buy special merchandise, see a production truck and check out special WWE vehicles.[4] From 2002, WrestleMania Axxess would be extended to a three-day event (March 14–16) and would be held at the Canadian National Exhibition.[5][6] The three-day event included similar activities to that of the one-day line-up.[6] In 2007, WrestleMania Axxess went on tour around cities in both the United States and Canada.

WWE Bronze Statues

See also: WWE Hall of Fame

Every year since 2013 WWE has honored a legend by unveiling a bronze statue at WrestleMania Axxess. Currently Bruno Sammartino is the only living member to receive a statue in his honor.

Date Location Venue Statue Associated Event
April 3, 2013 East Rutherford, New Jersey Izod Center André the Giant
(André Roussimoff) 		WrestleMania 29 Axxess [7]
April 2, 2014 New Orleans, Louisiana Ernest N. Morial Convention Center Bruno Sammartino WrestleMania XXX Axxess [8]
March 27, 2015 San Jose, California San Jose Convention Center The Ultimate Warrior
(James Hellwig) 		WrestleMania 31 Axxess [9]
March 31, 2016 Dallas, Texas Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes
(Virgil Runnels Jr.) 		WrestleMania 32 Axxess [10]

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to WrestleMania Axxess.

References

  1. ^ "WrestleMania Rage Party Kicks Off WrestleMania XV On Saturday, March 27 to be Televised Live From 10:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. On USA Network". Stamford, Connecticut, United States: WWE. 1999-03-26. Retrieved 2010-11-06.
  2. ^ "WrestleMania XV Facts/Stats". WWE.com. Retrieved 2010-11-06.
  3. ^ Oliver, Greg (2000-04-01). "Fans get Axxess to WWF stars". SLAM! Wrestling. Retrieved 2010-11-06.
  4. ^ Oliver, Greg (2001-03-31). "Access improved at WWF Fan Axxcess". SLAM! Wrestling. Retrieved 2010-11-06.
  5. ^ "WrestleMania X-8 to be held at Toronto's SkyDome on March 17, 2002". Corporate.WWE.com. 2001-09-03. Retrieved 2010-11-06.
  6. ^ a b Powell, Jon (2002-03-17). "Axxess ends with a whimper not a bang". SLAM Wrestling!. Retrieved 2010-11-08.
  7. ^ [1]
  8. ^ [2]
  9. ^ [3]
  10. ^ [4]
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