WWE Executive Suggests PLEs Can Get Even Bigger
A WWE executive thinks that even more PLE shows can take place over two nights instead of one.
Business is strong for WWE right now as they have one of the deepest talent rosters in company history, and they are selling out events all over the world. This year has seen the company break numerous records both domestically and abroad.
The first two-night WrestleMania event took place in 2020 when most of WrestleMania 36 emanated from the WWE Performance Center with no fans in attendance due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Since the two-night WrestleMania was so well received, WWE has continued to put WrestleMania on a Saturday & Sunday April weekend from 2021 to 2024 as well. The 2025 WrestleMania 41 event will move to a different weekend and take place on April 19 and April 20 in Las Vegas.
For the first time ever, the 2025 edition of SummerSlam will take place at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey over two nights in August 2025.
WWE Executive Wants PLE Shows To Expand Even More
Mark Shapiro is the Chief Operating Officer of WWE’s parent company, TKO Group. While speaking at the UBS Global Media & Communications Conference, Shapiro made it clear that the company was thinking about making even more PLE shows two-night events.
“Definitely opportunities for that. It’s all a progression, a natural evolution. WrestleMania was a big hit for us to expand. As you look at all these PLEs, depending the partner, I think there is absolutely an opportunity to advance some of them to two days. We’re in a good place with our storylines.”
“The way it weaves through is WrestleMania is the culmination and then a new season begins. You use Raw, SmackDown, Saturday Night’s Main Event, the PLEs to all weave a long form story around multiple storylines and characters driving that discussion and narrative. It also gives us the opportunity to launch new names and bring back names.”
The next WWE PLE is the Royal Rumble on February 1, 2025, from Indianapolis. There have been rumors that it will be the last one-night Royal Rumble event since it could expand to two nights in 2026. Considering there’s a Men’s and Women’s Royal Rumble match, it makes sense for that show to be two nights and to separate the two Rumble matches.