This new leadership regime for WWE does some things the way they always have, but there are some noteworthy changes. One of those changes can be seen in how early the public is notified about locations and dates for premium live events.
On Monday during the episode of Raw following WrestleMania 41, the promotion announced the date and location for Survivor Series. Yes, that Survivor Series, the one that happens on the Saturday after Thanksgiving.
This year, the Survivor Series will take place at Petco Park, the home of the San Diego Padres in San Diego on Saturday, November 29.
If you missed Raw on Monday, if you have Netflix, you should go back and watch. It was pretty eventful. If noting else, watch this show recap.
WWE usually waits a bit longer to confirm the details for its fall schedule, but this announcement came early and with a clear intent: get fans planning now.
Petco Park isn’t a typical WWE venue—it’s a baseball stadium, and the kind of open-air environment that only works in places with mild weather in late November. San Diego checks that box easily.
While the card is obviously still months away from being finalized, one thing already stands out. I noticed there was no mention of War Games in the title or logo as has been the case for the past few years.
I hope War Games goes away or is refigured in some way.
It is the worst of all the heavy-themed matches. It makes no sense for Superstars to be added to the cage to fight with no pin-falls or submissions possible until every member from both teams has entered.
It’s really dumb.
The absence of that branding might suggest a change in direction for the event format—or at least a willingness to break away from recent traditions. If that’s the case, it opens the door for new types of storytelling or at the very least, different match layouts that aren’t built around a gimmick that has overstayed its welcome.
Geographically and narratively, San Diego opens the door for a Mysterio family spotlight. I’d expect Dominik Mysterio and Rey Mysterio to figure heavily in this version of Survivor Series as natives of the 619. By November—especially with Dom as a major fan-favorite—I’d expect to see the father and son unite. It could happen at Survivor Series.
The location could lend some fresh energy to the show, which tends to live in the shadow of WrestleMania and SummerSlam. Seeing a WWE event in a baseball stadium is pretty interesting. If you’re going to do an outdoor venue in November, San Diego is definitely the right place.
What’s Next
NXT happens on Tuesday and SmackDown is Friday, so there will be more storylines coming out of Mania week that may hint at the long road to Survivor Series. But for now, fans in Southern California have a major show to look forward to, and WWE has a chance to do something different with the setting, the presentation, and potentially the format.
