Crown Jewel 2023 is just a week away, and the anticipation among fans is higher than the Burj Khalifa. The annual Saudia Arabia event has been a staple of the WWE since its inauguration in 2018. Despite the backlash from the fans regarding the deal, the WWE went ahead and sealed it.
Before the UFC-WWE merger, the Saudi Arabia deal was the biggest partnership the WWE signed for. So, how much money does the WWE make from each Crown Jewel PLE?
WWE makes around $50 million per Crown Jewel in Saudia Arabia
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The Crown Jewel was a collaboration between the WWE and the Saudi Arabian government. Established in 2018, the deal is a 10-year partnership. It is part of the Saudi Vision 2030 project.
READ MORE: “Must-Win”: John Cena Raises Stakes in Potential Final Match in 2023 Return Run Before Crown Jewel
The very first PPV was the Greatest Royal Rumble in 2018. Held at the King Saud University Stadium in Riyadh, the event was a massive hit. It was followed by the Crown Jewel PLE in 2019. Since then, the annual event has generated a reported $400 million in revenue for the company.
So, how much money does each event make for the WWE? According to reports from Brandon Thurston of Wrestlenomics, the deal makes the WWE $50 million for each PLE. Many fans did the maths to find a shocking discovery. The WWE made more money from the Saudia Arabia deal than all WrestleMania combined. This is one of the reasons why, despite the backlash, the company went ahead with the deal.
WWE returns for its 6th event for the Saudi Arabian government on Oct 21.
Each event is worth $50M-$55M in payments to WWE. That's more than AEW will likely be paid all year for its U.S. TV deal.
The 5 events so far total more than ticket sales for every Wrestlemania combined. pic.twitter.com/B0WHDk3WlA
— Brandon Thurston (@BrandonThurston) September 20, 2021
Furthermore, the WWE is subjected to make an estimated $900 million over the course of the entire deal. This makes it one of the most lucrative deals the company signed on for. Crown Jewel 2023 will occur at the Mohammed Abdo Arena on November 4, 2023.
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The backlash and controversy towards Saudia Arabia and Crown Jewel
When the company announced the partnership, there was an immediate fan backlash. The main issue was the exclusion of female wrestlers from the first April event in 2018. During the first year, when WWE stars mentioned Saudi Arabia or Crown Jewel, it would be met with an uproar of boos.
Following this was the boycott of the first Crown Jewel in 2018 by John Cena. This was due to the controversy surrounding the killing of Jamal Khashoggi. Despite this, the WWE hosted the event with Triple H, Shawn Michaels, The Undertaker, and Kane being the Main Event.
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What do you think of the deal with Saudi Arabia? Tell us down below.
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