JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A major fundraiser for COVID-19 relief in Florida is happening in the wrestling ring in Jacksonville.
All Elite Wrestling (AEW) is hosting its “Fight For The Fallen” event at 8 p.m. Wednesday at Daily’s Place. This will be live on TNT for its weekly episode of “Wednesday Night Dynamite”. What makes this episode of the TV show unique is much of the money made from the show will be donated to COVID-19 relief in Florida.
“AEW and the Khan family very concerned, very involved in the community,” said Jim Ross, a lead commentator for AEW told The Morning Show. “We realize the challenges that everybody faces right now. So the Khan family has donated a million bucks to get this thing kickstarted.”
Ross is speaking of Shad Khan and his son, Tony, who own both AEW and the Jacksonville Jaguars.
“We want to help people that need food. We want to help people that have been affected in any way by the virus,” Ross added.
This is the second year AEW has hosted “Fight For the Fallen” in Jacksonville. Last year proceeds went to help fight gun violence. This year the company decided to focus on COVID relief. Funds will be distributed to Florida’s First Coast Relief Fund and Feeding Northeast Florida. “
AEW’s all about Jacksonville. This is our home. The Khan family lives here. I’m buying a place here. It’s a special place and we want to help contribute to the betterment of this special place that we’re privileged to be a part of,” Ross said.
While AEW is based in Jacksonville, it is a national wrestling promotion that travels the country and puts on their nationally televised shows to audiences around the country. But when the COVID pandemic hit, the company has had to eliminate live crowds and they are hosting all shows of “Wednesday Night Dynamite” at Daily’s Place downtown. The company even recently promoted a pay-per-view match where 10 competitors fought all over the Jaguars stadium and the football field.
“I think it’s good for the city of Jacksonville because we’re like the Chamber of Commerce every Wednesday night at 8 o’clock local time on TNT. We talk about Jacksonville; we talk about the weather or whatever it may be. I think it’s a good PR tool for Jacksonville as well,” Ross said.