House Show

A house show is a professional wrestling show run by a major promotion that is not televised, though they can be recorded. Promotions use house shows mainly to cash in on the exposure that they and their wrestlers receive during televised events, as well as test reactions to matches, wrestlers, and gimmicks that are being considered for the main, televised programming.

House shows are often used to promote upcoming televised events, especially pay-per-views, and will then feature matches between wrestlers who are scheduled to work a match at the pay-per-view. This allows them to secure a "feel" for each other's style as well as test out specific parts of matches planned for pay-per-view. Since house shows are not televised, promotions do not usually set-up the elaborate staging or pyrotechnics utilized for the television programs. Exceptions are made, however. Especially when the events are held in areas the promotion does not often get to for the televised event (e.g. international tours) or in select markets–WWE often uses the full television set up for their "home base" Madison Square Garden, televised event or not.