Posted on 8/05/126 by Colin Vassallo
TKO President and Chief Operating Officer Mark Shapiro told
investors during a conference call that they could have done
SummerSlam on one night but opted for two nights for a
“better viewing experience.”
Shapiro admitted that a one-night event could have had a
higher ticket per cap but it would have affected the overall
fan experience.
“We thought it would be a better viewing experience on ESPN.
We thought we would get more marketing for our brand on
ESPN,” Shapiro said.
He also stressed the importance of going back to the Midwest
for premium live events as they have not done enough there.
“It’s not always about the actual bottom line. We prioritize
the fan experience and improving profitability. They are not
mutually exclusive and not always in that order,” he
continued.
WWE did not announce an attendance number for SummerSlam,
probably the first time since transitioning to stadium
events for their big shows. Tickets took a long time to get
moving and only moved due to massive sales throughout the
past few weeks.
It’s believed that the company had around 35,000 or a bit
less each night for the show, which would make it the least-
attended SummerSlam since 2021.