Wrestling into the Future: How WWE Chooses Venues for Live Events and Prepares to Shift Towards Digital Platforms
Recently, WWE officials Paul Levesque and Nick Khan discussed the economic impact of hosting live events such as WrestleMania and the importance of choosing the right venues for these events. With interest in hosting future events continuing to grow, potential host cities are bidding to be chosen by WWE as venues for its premium live events. According to Levesque, the economic impact is a crucial factor in the bidding process, giving WWE a range of options to choose from.
In recent years, WWE has been hosting its events at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. The most recent WrestleMania was held there in early April and drew over 70,000 fans despite frigid temperatures. Looking ahead to future events, President Nick Khan mentioned that they will be changing tactics and may shift away from outdoor stadiums on the East Coast in April to avoid competing with other major events like the Final Four. While ticket sales for WrestleMania have not been disclosed, Khan hinted at a potential total revenue of $38 million for the two-night event in Philadelphia.
In addition to WrestleMania, WWE is also preparing for the transition of “Raw” to Netflix in January as part of a 10-year, $5 billion deal. Levesque expressed confidence that WWE fans will follow Raw to the streaming platform, as the company has a history of successfully transitioning its audience to new locations. The Netflix deal is seen as a significant milestone for WWE along with NBCUniversal’s deal to move “SmackDown” to the USA Network. Both deals signal a shift towards digital platforms in the entertainment industry and are expected to be game-changing for both companies and their viewers.
