Trump is no fool, I expect something is planned tonight to cause shock and awe to the press that is trying to smear him.
Notice how little money he spent to get to where he is, how little money in ads were expended before the convention.
Also there is a long term advantage to all involved in this play. The press is building this event up as Trump getting his. When folks tune in and see the press if full of it, that helps with the republican narrative going forward, which between now and November is going to be almost entirely negative on the presses part. On an unconscious level folks would walk away with the notion that the press is wrong about Trump. They are going to voluntarily sit through speeches which most would not, especially millennial age folks who do not frequent conservative outlets.
How do you get folks to watch political speeches? they are boring. This does it and Cruz gets a huge platform out of it. Trump folks will change their tune about him overnight it he does it well, all the past transgressions will be forgotten.
It is a win-win for everyone, unless Ted Cruz is a complete idiot. Which he could be, but I doubt it, he has had time to think and this is the best way to bring back his reputation, not only with the right but with the new center that will be the republican party if they are successful this election.
I will breath a sigh of relief if you are correct.