Pop Break Live: The New Day at iPlay America in Freehold, NJ
“Awwwww……….iPlay America! Don’t you dare be sour! Clap for your six time champs and your WWE Champion, and FEEL the Power!”
The Power of Positivity” was indeed the theme of The New Day’s appearance at Freehold, NJ’s iPlay America Event Center on Sunday afternoon. Big E kicked things off with that exact proclamation followed by the New Day’s Entrance from behind the curtain. Even before the Meet & Greet officially started all three members of the charismatic WWE faction approached the audience and high-fived everybody along the guard rail. Once I started my day by high five-ing the current WWE Champion, I knew this event was going to be anything but booty.
Kofi Kingston, Xavier Woods, and Big E really went the extra mile with every single person in line. They shook hands, danced, swiveled, and Kofi even let every single fan hold the WWE Championship. I’m not gonna lie, I cheesed pretty hard for that and definitely felt like a little kid again. The New Day even went so far as to recreate the iconic shoulder raise moment from Wrestlemania by holding up a fan with belt on their shoulders. Said fan told me that, “They were amazing. They’re so down to earth but they’re exactly like they are on TV.”
While fans waited, iPlay America provided constant New Day trivia and gave out of prizes. Prizes included Booty-O’s Cereal, Shirts, Books, iPlay Game cards, and even special New Day Action Figures. During the Meet & Greet, Kofi’s potential Match of the Year candidate bout with Daniel Bryan from Wrestlemania 35 played on the screens throughout the event center.
I was there live when Kofi won the WWE Championship, but watching it back still gives me goosebumps. The crowd at times even reacted to the match like it was actually live, and random “New Day Rocks” chants started throughout the meet and greet line. This of course prompted Big E to swivel without missing a beat.
Everywhere you looked among the hundreds of fans in attendance you either saw a unicorn, a box of Booty O’s, or a title belt. I saw quite a few WWE Championships and tag team titles, but there were also a number of UPUPDOWNDOWN (Woods’ Gaming Channel on Youtube) Championship titles as well. Some fans even had the rare New Day “Longest Reign Custom Tag Team Titles” and customized New Day shoes as well!
You knew this was a party because a lot of people hung out after meeting the guests of honor. Fans could get food or even purchase WWE signed posters from former talent that has come through the Event Center. If that wasn’t enough, iPlay America even held a Pancake Buffet at 8am before the event started for fans who sprung for the special VIP option.
iPlay has absolutely been crushing it lately with the caliber of WWE talent coming through the Event Center lately, but this particular event was an absolute treat. What an honor it was for fans from the TriState area to meet the actual WWE Champion and the longest reigning tag champs in history in an intimate setting. Let’s just say I absolutely loved my pancake breakfast this morning, but I certainly didn’t want to take my Kofi to go.
To find out what’s happening next at iPlay America, click here.
