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WWE stoops to a new low with WWE Crown Jewel 2022

By Raphael Garcia

AUSTIN, TEXAS - MARCH 14: Stephanie McMahon speaks onstage at Meet the Women Dominating Sports Media during the 2022 SXSW Conference and Festivals at Hilton Austin on March 14, 2022 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Shedrick Pelt/Getty Images for SXSW)
AUSTIN, TEXAS - MARCH 14: Stephanie McMahon speaks onstage at Meet the Women Dominating Sports Media during the 2022 SXSW Conference and Festivals at Hilton Austin on March 14, 2022 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Shedrick Pelt/Getty Images for SXSW) /
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WWE Crown Jewel 2022 has come and gone. Fans are talking about and sharing some of the viral clips from the wrestling showcase. But the most important clip was out on Friday when WWE streamed a “press conference” for the event. This showcase elevated the problematic nature of WWE’s continued partnership with the Saudi Arabian government to new levels. And they did so to millions of viewers across the world.

WWE has a massive digital footprint. WWE boasts 97.5 million YouTube subscribers, 12.7 million followers on Twitter, 27.1 million followers on Instagram, and 73 million on Facebook. Those numbers represent their ability to get their content in front of the masses from around the world. And this past weekend that ability was used to prop up a government that is accused of multiple human rights violations.

Saudi Arabia continues to use sports washing to legitimize its government to the world. The F1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix and Liv Golf are just two examples of mainstream sports today. WWE has long been a part of this use too, with their first event dating back to the Greatest Royal Rumble in 2018. Still, to see the leadership of the company speak highly of and present Mohammed bin Salman with a replica WWE Championship belt goes to new levels of low. These are the same titles they give to championship sports teams or other individuals that stand out for positive public impact. Do they want WWE viewers to think of MBS in the same way? They are effectively putting their stamp on a leader whose name is linked to heinous injustices that continue to this day.

What’s interesting is to watch the social discourse that plays out about Crown Jewel and the events going forward. Major wrestling media outlets are caught in the space of covering the event, not covering it, or finding another way to leverage that time to continue their work. This is a common occurrence in professional sports where media members must cover not only what happens in the field of play, but the political implications of the business and issues outside of it. Media outlets that cover professional wrestling must continue to point out these issues and make sure the truth behind them is upfront for wrestling fans to see.

Titus O’Neil stood in a WWE ring and said that the promotion “doesn’t do politics.” That couldn’t be any further from the truth. This company uses its platform to justify all forms of politics and its recent actions leading into WWE Crown Jewel 2022 are among the worst.

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