Saudi WrestleMania: Is WWE Turning Its Back On American Fans?

WWE President Nick Khan recently doubled down on the company’s decision to host WrestleMania 43 in Saudi Arabia.

While attending the JOY Forum in Riyadh, Khan called it ‘a natural next step,’ emphasizing the promotion’s growing international footprint.

Mind you, Khan’s comments have not been pulled out of thin air. In the last eight years, the World Wrestling Entertainment has put on good shows, with arenas packed to the rafters by local and traveling fans.

But for American fans, visiting Saudi Arabia is nothing short of a logistical nightmare, coupled with cultural and moral quandaries.

Nick Khan’s comments at the event triggered not only a meme-fest but also led to American fans posting videos online, highlighting the promotion’s love for Saudi money.

While many fans have called the 51-year-old out over his “delusion,” he remains optimistic. Below, we look at some of the genuine concerns that neither Khan nor WWE has addressed.

Nick Khan Overlooks The Arduous Journey For American WWE Fans

For American WWE fans, traveling to Saudi Arabia is not a trip, but more of a trek.

Depending on which state they reside in, it can take them up to 20 hours, including layovers, to reach the Kingdom. Add in the time difference, and jet lag becomes a formidable opponent, too.

The travel costs are not forgiving either. WrestleMania is peak season for wrestling fans, and flight costs to Saudi Arabia could easily shoot up to $2,000 per person.

All this is before factoring in premium seats for the long hauls, because any seat won’t do.

@BuffaloHobby: Listen, I’m not even paying for whatever that ESPN package is to watch the PLEs as it is (waiting to see if a deal is done with YouTube TV), there is no chance I’m paying to go over to Saudi. Come on, man.

Nick Khan Igonoring The Ticket Prices

Say an American wrestling fan musters the courage to make the long, arduous journey. They will need to think about accommodation, and peak season means high costs for hotel rooms.

Then, there is the price of tickets, an issue that has prevailed in WWE ever since the formation of the TKO board.

Nick Khan himself was confronted by a fan not too long ago about the soaring ticket prices. Khan appeared to make light of the situation by introducing humor into the conversation, but that’s just adding salt to the wounds of that fan.

Fans speculate that the price of a single WrestleMania 43 ticket could easily skyrocket to $20,000 or $30,000.

As seen in this video, the fan explains how WWE is charging $7,000 for John Cena’s final match at Saturday Night’s Main Event XLII, which is not even a premium live event. Reports suggest that the number could go up to $11,500 if someone wants a photo with Cena and buys exclusive gifts.

@TKsMantis: LOL The way the prices are right now, I won’t even travel to the stadium in my city for WrestleMania.

@Phxlly: A flight to Saudi is probably an arm and a leg The tickets will probably also be an arm and a leg

Not even disrespect to Saudi but nobody’s paying all that for a non sport event like the World Cup or SB

Will There Be An Alcohol Ban In Saudi Arabia?

Traveling fans will also be mulling over the availability of alcohol, of which there is a strict ban in Saudi Arabia.

The alcohol ban incident was widely reported during the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. While some media outlets later claimed that the rules had been relaxed, they were untrue. Saudi Arabia is expecting to make rules surrounding alcohol consumption even stricter.

In conclusion, Nick Khan’s comments about American WWE fans traveling in large numbers to Saudi Arabia for WrestleMania 43 feel tone-deaf and out of touch.

While millionaires and other well-to-do business-cum-wrestling enthusiasts might be able to make the long trip, an average American would certainly prefer streaming the event on ESPN.

Only time will tell if Nick Khan’s vision bodyslams expectations or falls flat like a botched move.