Professional wrestling has always been a business that’s a family attraction. Much like a big budget film, a circus, or an amusement park, the main target audience is a family who brings the children to the show. However, surging prices for WWE shows are a growing concern and it has become clear that under the leadership on Endeavor and TKO Group Holdings that, the average family and fan are set to be priced out of the WWE.
During the Goldman Sachs Conference, TKO President Mark Shapiro commented on the rising cost of WWE tickets. Shapiro stated that under Vince McMahon, ticket prices were set to target family attendance, but under TKO reports are that directive has changed, with the focus being increasing overall profits. This is a huge problem that will directly push the average fan away from going to said shows.
For example, WWE Wrestlepalooza is the next big PLE on the horizon. It is set for Saturday, September 20 from the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. As of this writing on September 11, the lowest available ticket price is $173. Compare this to AEW All Out, the show that WWE counterprogrammed that same day, and the lowest price for that PPV is $35 Canadian, which converts to $25.30 in US Dollars. That’s a stark contrast.
If WWE is heading toward a pricing model that is similar to the UFC, its sister company within TKO, fans should truly be concerned. The cheapest seat for UFC 320 in Las Vegas, Nevada, is $404. Is the current WWE product worth $400 to get in the door? Most would answer no. Heck, the current UFC product isn’t worth that much, which is why the company is pushing hard to move away from the PPV business. WWE is heading in the same direction, which is why the deal with Saudi Arabia and other major cities for site fees has become so important.
All of this talk about rising costs doesn’t include all the services that are required for seeing WWE PLEs and weekly shows. Between some configurations that include Netflix, ESPN, YouTube, and other apps, customers are paying more per month if they consider themselves a “hardcore” fan who wants to catch everything.
Compare those costs to one of WWE’s main sponsors, Credit One Bank. That is a credit card company that specifically targets low-income earners who are attempting to build or are too informed about the use of credit cards. This company is a major sponsor because they understand WWE’s target audience is low-income families and viewers. Yet, WWE continues to present itself as mainstream and trendy because of a few celebrities shown in the front row or taking part in big matches. Which is it?
When WWE touts record-breaking figures, it isn’t because the product has been its best in years to date, it is because ticket prices are up and the site-fee system is booming. Fans cheer, not knowing it is their money that WWE is bragging about. The latest news about WWE ticket prices shouldn’t surprise anyone paying attention to what Endeavor has done since moving into the combat sports and entertainment arena.