In a wild and unexpected shakeup to upcoming WWE events, New Orleans and the WWE have confirmed that WrestleMania 42 will not take place in the city. While a new location has not officially been announced, multiple outlets have reported that there's an intention to bring WrestleMania back to Las Vegas for the second year in a row.
While not official, the potential news has been met with mixed reception amongst the wrestling community. I know that I am not a fan of the idea, especially with the latest rumor suggesting I won't be watching this beloved event with anything other than my Peacock subscription for years to come.
The WWE Reportedly Wants WrestleMania 42 In Las Vegas And To Return Every Few Years
A recent report from Wrestling Observer Newsletter alleges that the WWE doesn't just want to host WrestleMania 42 in Las Vegas, but hoping to bring the event to the city every few years or so. Part of the reasoning is allegedly tied to executives and WWE President Nick Khan being from the city, but another part is money. Another factor is the city itself, as officials reportedly hope to have the wrestling organization help ensure that big ticket events continue to funnel into Vegas at least once a year. Wrestling insider Dave Meltzer described the situation below (via WrestlingNews.co):
The idea is that the city wants to have a major destination sports event every year, and by definition they are looking at the Super Bowl, The Final Four, the College Football national championship final and WrestleMania so would be looking for Mania any year that they don’t have one of the other three events.
Las Vegas already has numerous attractions ranging from casinos to the more bizarre Omega Mart and other movie experiences. That said, it's no secret that city officials have pushed to have more professional sporting organizations host events in the city, and even pushed for more professional teams to expand into the market. It's hardly a surprise they'd potentially be willing to pay a premium to keep getting WrestleMania every so many years, but it's not an idea I can jive with.
If This Rumor Is True, It Has Me Worried For The Future Of WrestleMania
WrestleMania is the largest pro wrestling event of the year, and I think many wrestling fans around the world dream of a day when it appears near enough for them to attend it in person. Tickets are not cheap, but if you were willing to eat the cost and book travel, you could've gotten into WrestleMania 40 in Philadelphia for $125 for one night (via FTW).
Just one year later, Sports Illustrated reported the minimum ticket price for one night of WrestleMania in Las Vegas was $450. That's right, one person could attend this year's event for the same price that around three people would have after fees just a year prior. As someone who has attended multiple sporting events in the past year, that feels like more than the standard rising cost of ticket prices.
The long-term question I have is how wrestling fans will respond, and if they'll continue to think paying a premium to see the event in Las Vegas is worth the price. This year the event sold well, but it was John Cena's final year in wrestling and he had a shocking heel turn. Let's not forget there were constant teases of The Rock showing up as well, even though it didn't happen.
I can't help but think that, in a year where wrestling isn't quite as loaded with major movie stars, people would think twice about booking a flight to Las Vegas to see WrestleMania. That might especially be true if the event loses the novelty of appearing in the city, as I think the "once in a lifetime" element of it plays into attending WrestleMania.
I would break myself to make it to the event when it comes to Indianapolis, but if I know it's going to be in Vegas every two to three years, I feel less compelled. That's just my opinion, though, and I do wonder what other wrestling fans will ultimately say about it if all this information turns out to be true.
SmackDown airs on USA on Fridays at 8:00 p.m. ET, and Monday Night Raw is on Netflix Mondays at 8:00 p.m. ET. I can't wait for more details on what's happening with WrestleMania 42, and when the WWE will officially set the record straight on what it intends to do.
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