Going Global...If You'll Pay...

[THTRobtaylor]

So WWE seem to be properly "going global" with massive events in Australia and Saudi Arabia now planned. It opens an interesting question and sheds some light on perhaps why we haven't had that UK PPV.

The Australia show is at the MCG which is a huge venue, operated by the Melbourne Cricket Club but owned by the Government of Victoria state in Australia. WWE's press release on the Saudi show flat out mentions government involvement (as is to be expected there as NOTHING takes place without it...) at the top.

We've already seen the "bidding" that American cities go through for Wrestlemania becoming "a thing", the 'E look for subsidies, tax breaks and events taking place all week in the chosen city... many of which may come from taxpayers. It's looking increasingly like WWE is looking at governmental partners for international events, who will do the same thing... throw in public money and tax breaks to get a "big" WWE event into their area. On one hand it is smart business from the WWE, but from the other side, there are better things governments should really be getting behind.

Most interestingly is I think this finally settles the WWE/UK PPV debate as to why we won't get a big event anytime soon. Forget time delays or the like... Our government simply won't pay or allow the tax breaks WWE are looking for... or perhaps, while Brexit is going on, they simply can't as it might piss off the EU.

Interestingly, there are rumors that Qatar might have the 2022 World Cup taken away from them and the UK then being a "standby". If any government funds were going to an event, it would be that rather than a "niche" one off show that would in reality, sell out anyway.

What do people think on this? Are you happy for your State/City to spend public funds to get Mania etc. to your city? or would you want your government to pay public money to get a big PPV in your country?

Personally, I'm torn... if the event DOES bring major investment or a boost to the economy there's an argument for it... but it was a choice between Mania at Wembley or our NHS... I'm keeping the NHS.

 

[Hyorinmaru]

The city is more than getting their money back when WWE comes to town.

The thousands of people coming in from all over the world spending money on hotels, food and other stuff that people need far outweigh anything they may spend on getting the WWE to come and set up shop for an entire week

 

[THTRobtaylor]

Not so much back into the public purse though... there is a boost to economy for sure, which is why they do it... but if you're government is flat out paying WWE to come to town and business makes profits? You 100% happy with that?

 

[George Steele's Barber]

Most interestingly is I think this finally settles the WWE/UK PPV debate as to why we won't get a big event anytime soon. Forget time delays or the like... Our government simply won't pay or allow the tax breaks WWE are looking for... or perhaps, while Brexit is going on, they simply can't as it might piss off the EU.

I don't think this settles anything. Are the AUS or Saudi events even PPVs or just being held in large venues? On top of that I don't think WWE cares where the money is coming from, they just care about the money. Sure, Queen Elizabeth could give slip Vince a billion sheckles for a night with Roman but it isn't the reason, it is only a piece of the puzzle.

What do people think on this? Are you happy for your State/City to spend public funds to get Mania etc. to your city? or would you want your government to pay public money to get a big PPV in your country?

If it is good for the government and overall economy then I have no problem with it. If it is going to only help some special interests at the cost of everyone else then I don't like the idea.

 

[THTRobtaylor]

I don't think this settles anything. Are the AUS or Saudi events even PPVs or just being held in large venues? On top of that I don't think WWE cares where the money is coming from, they just care about the money. Sure, Queen Elizabeth could give slip Vince a billion sheckles for a night with Roman but it isn't the reason, it is only a piece of the puzzle.



If it is good for the government and overall economy then I have no problem with it. If it is going to only help some special interests at the cost of everyone else then I don't like the idea.

They will likely televise them on the network, which is in effect a PPV these days. The fact they're doing the Saudi event the same day Infinity Wars is out (although that's been moved up, to cause it) means they'll kind of have to for this 50 man Rumble event for it to go over... no way the Saudi government are forking over money if it's not gonna be seen world wide.

The Queen wouldn't come into it in the UK, it's the government and if London then it has a Mayor who isn't going to fork money over to Vince McMahon...

My concern would be the Saudi show... that's not going to benefit "everyone" in the way Mania might in an area... the very nature of how they operate there means only the relative "few" will go (or those who get in cheap/free will be doing so as a show from the Government) I didn't mention India earlier but adding that into the equation makes sense as their government will have thrown money in too.

There's a very thin line before the Saudi show is like the North Korean one WCW/Inoki/Flair did in the 90's...

 

[ABMorales787]

I think its a silly argument. WWE goes where they can get the most money. That's always been the case. The reason for them not having big events in the UK is because they are not needed. They get far more revenue for having Raw and Smackdown there thanks to their TV deal. Their Big 4 (and MITB) nab them big bucks with bidding wars thanks to turning those weekends into 4 straight events in the same building.

Government or just economy, they go where they feel the best money is. Sometimes it's great like the Saudi Arabia show last year. Evething paid beforehand. Now they get a nifty 10 year contract where it doesn't matter if they sell the full 60,000 seats or just 500. Sometimes it's a failure. Like India. And then they move on to the next avenue. That's it. No government needed outside of bidding.

 

[Lee]

The Queen wouldn't come into it in the UK, it's the government and if London then it has a Mayor who isn't going to fork money over to Vince McMahon...

You mean like they do with the NFL? With football? With concerts? It happens all the time.

 

[Lee]

To add as well:

They're a new market to Saudi Arabia and not in the UK. The equivalent would be the Royal Albert Hall show in 91(?) which led to the build up with Summerslam 92. It's not needed in the UK at the moment. But to think they wouldn't get a tax break is not correct.

 

[Richard Blonoff]

Have you tried writing a strongly worded letter to WWE HQ?

Someone should start a crowdfunding page to raise money to get the WWE to host a PPV in the UK. I hear wrestling writers have lots of discretionary income, maybe wrangle some of them up to chip in.

Never mind they just did that with the UK Tournament if Network Specials are PPVs now.

Saying the WWE hosting an event in Saudi Arabia is a step away from an event hosted in North Korea is so ignorant of the progress many Saudi leaders are trying to make that it offends me.

Furthermore, who fucking cares? WWE is a US based company, so people have the gall to complain their neck of the woods isn't getting live events. Actually, no I agree. I'm actually really upset that Liverpool doesn't host their games in America from time to time. Actually, I'd rather not be subjected to a bunch of Scousers rambling on about loyalty and next year. So hard pass on that.

Seriously, this post makes me believe people wake up and put their pants directly onto their head each morning.

 

[klunderbunker]

For comparison's sake, let's look at the mentioned NHS. According to the NHS's website, it's budget in 2015/2016 was about $160 BILLION dollars. That's billion with a B mind you.

According to Forbes.com, Wrestlemania XXXI in 2015 generated $139 million in revenue for the Santa Clara/San Jose region. San Jose, a city of just over a million people and the tenth biggest city in the United States, had a 2015 budget of $3.2 billion.

Therefore, in about one week, WWE provided over 4% of the city's budget for the year. Now, do you think this might be something that other cities or states might be interested in doing? Of course they would. Do you think most citizens care where the extra money comes from, as long as it's not coming from their pockets by way of tax increases?

Both sides benefit from this. The local or even state/national economies benefit and so does WWE. By putting a major show there, WWE could open the door to a large number of new Network subscribers or have a reason to come back for another big show. The local economy benefits from having people see what their big stadium looks like and some of the cool things to do there. Oh and there's the whole ticket sales, restaurants, tourism etc. money that comes with it.

Everyone benefits from this and it's done worldwide. I'm not sure how much Saudi Arabia paid to get this show, but I doubt it's enough to throw the economy out of whack. Or for the earlier example, I don't think England paid all the way up to 160 billion. Let's go crazy and say they would pay $100 million for the event. That would be .000625% of the annual NHS budget. I think they'll be fine.

 

[FromGlasgow]

They held one big event here, Summerslam 1992 and it broke all attendance records but that was 25 years ago and they have given us nothing since, Would be understandable if that event failed but it was such a success fans are still talking about it all those years later, Everything WWE in the UK costs more then the US the Network, DVD's, Live events, Figures and other merchandise, So I think they take their UK fans for granted, Considering how loyal we have been here in the UK we at least deserve a chance at just one Wrestlemania. Its called WORLD Wrestling Entertainment but its not truly world when they just hold all their big events in the US even if its just one big event every 25 years I can handle that at least we would get something here. It wouldn't even have to happen in the UK I would settle for anywhere in Europe as its mostly all close enough for UK fans to attend.

 

[stingray11214]

And this surprises who? Look, any major event gets paid for. Nobody is going to do one for free. Look at the World Cup. Qatar spent and offered BILLIONS to FIFA for the rights to host the 2022. The Saudis know how popular WWE is. They want to control their youth with "bread and circuses". So, they dropped a few bucks to get a version of the Royal Rumble in Jeddah. It is kind of like a "private" event where you hire a band or a wedding singer. Some of you guys in the UK need to put a solid financial package for WWE to do a major event. Set up an organizing committee and present your plan to VKM. If he likes it, fine. If not, you get the WWE Live tours like you normally do. But, do not think VKM will hand London a PPV event out of loyalty alone.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

If there's some sort of shady dealings behind the scenes regarding WWE and the Aussie & Saudi governments, isn't that what's called business? If a deal like this screws over taxpayers then, of course, I'm against it but the fact of the matter is that governments, ALL governments, do things like this all the time. In the United States, for instance, we have local, state and federal level officials give enticements and incentives to big corporations all the time. For instance, if Wal-Mart was planning to build some sort of mega store who's size would rival that of the biggest mall in America, you'd have state and county officials willing to peddle their mama's asses if it meant they could get the store in their state. If Microsoft was planning to build a series of factories in Saudi Arabia, the sheiks would be willing to give the company just about anything it wanted.

Any sort of shady dealings between WWE and these governments, if there even is any, is a drop in the bucket compared with some of the under the table stuff that go on and have gone on between big companies and governments since....well since forever really.

If the UK wants a major show like WrestleMania, Vince will give it to them if they're willing to pay for it and it's not like paying for it is going to put that huge of a dent in their budget. WWE's biggest audience is in the United States so of course the US audience is going to be catered to more.