Wrestlemania venues

[Team Sheep]

Something I've been struggling to get my head around. WWE kick-started a trend from Wrestlemanias 17-19 of having them in massive football/baseball stadiums (Astrodome, Sky Dome, SafeCo Field), and then I understand why they had it in MSG for XX, cause of the tradition and all that. But why then did WWE choose to hold the next 2 in just average Raw and Smackdown arenas (granted I know that Staples Center and Allstate Arena are world renowned venues, but hardly have very big capacities after they'd been averaging 70,000 odd in the years prior). And now the past 2 years they've gone back to having them in big stadiums and will continue to do so with Reliant Stadium next year.

So is there any reason why they didn't hold 21 and 22 in stadiums? Did they have doubt of being able to fill those kind of places at the time or something? Or was it just a simple matter of them wanting Mania in LA and Chicago and those were the only suitable venues? I can't help but think that WWE could have made much more money if they did have them in big stadiums, and I can't see them ever going back to an arena for a Wrestlemania after the last 2 years financial success. That success obviously isn't all down to ticket sales but it plays a role, and I can guarantee that a lot of people order Mania for the spectacle of it. Just think how many people got influenced into buying Mania this year just because it was outside? Quite a few I bet.

[ilovejoni]

Wow gold (http://www.thsale.com) store welcome you! Look here to buy wow gold (http://www.wowgoldprice.org), cheap wow gold (http://www.wowgoldshopping.com), buy cheap world of warcraft gold, power ieveling, wow gold on sale with fast instant ...

[DaveWadding]

Something I've been struggling to get my head around. WWE kick-started a trend from Wrestlemanias 17-19 of having them in massive football/baseball stadiums (Astrodome, Sky Dome, SafeCo Field), and then I understand why they had it in MSG for XX, cause of the tradition and all that. But why then did WWE choose to hold the next 2 in just average Raw and Smackdown arenas (granted I know that Staples Center and Allstate Arena are world renowned venues, but hardly have very big capacities after they'd been averaging 70,000 odd in the years prior). And now the past 2 years they've gone back to having them in big stadiums and will continue to do so with Reliant Stadium next year.

So is there any reason why they didn't hold 21 and 22 in stadiums? Did they have doubt of being able to fill those kind of places at the time or something? Or was it just a simple matter of them wanting Mania in LA and Chicago and those were the only suitable venues? I can't help but think that WWE could have made much more money if they did have them in big stadiums, and I can't see them ever going back to an arena for a Wrestlemania after the last 2 years financial success. That success obviously isn't all down to ticket sales but it plays a role, and I can guarantee that a lot of people order Mania for the spectacle of it. Just think how many people got influenced into buying Mania this year just because it was outside? Quite a few I bet.

Maybe its partially because Mania 2 was simulcast from NY/LA/Chicago? Also every Wrestlemania I've seen that was outside sucked ass (see: WM9)

[Rob]

This years didn't suck.

[Dave Youell]

Yeah, I mean Mania 3 was rubbish was well!

All it had was Andre Vs Hogan and Steamboat Vs Savage (one of the greatest matches ever)

Anyway, my theory for the original question.

Most of the big gate mania’s have been held in less affluent area’s of the united states, so in theory the venue/land is cheaper to rent (Texas, Detroit etc)

From Vince’s POV, it might mean they make more money to run a smaller show for Mania and take less in ticket sales as they would make more from the fans not showing up in PPV buys.

I don’t know if that’s right, it’s just a theory

[Rob]

I know after the Seattle mania they weren't keen on doing too many more in stadiums for some reason. Obviously they changed their minds.

[Halbowsky]

While on the subject of small arenas that held WrestleMania, where will WrestleMania XXX be held? You would think it would be in New York, but Madison Square Garden holds just over 20,000. And as it's still kind of cold here in New York in late March/early April, the new Yankee Stadium wouldn't suffice.

[The One]

I'd guess XXX would be held in MSG. It doesn't matter that it only holds 20,000, it's tradition. Mania I, Mania X, Mania XX, I doubt they're going to stop that trend. And personally, I think it's fine. Kind of honors were they've been and no matter what the seat capacity is, Madison Square Garden is the world's most famous arena. Hands down. (Kiss my ass Tokyo Dome)

[McLegend]

Yeah but tickets would cost way more in MSG then anywhere else.

So even if it only fits 20,000 from all the money from the ticket it would almost seem like it fits 50,000.

[Xero]

And fans would still buy it, which is why they should hold it there.

Hell, I went to WM20 at the absolute cheapest seats and it cost $75 per seat. With the trend of rising seat prices I would imagine XXX would be between $100 and $150 for the cheapest.

Though I think it was silly to not make at least one of the new stadiums going up (Yankee, Citi or Giants) have a regular or retractable dome. Lost a lot of possible revenue there.

WrestleMania XXX in the new Giants Stadium, while not New York City or The Garden (which I still hold dear and consider the epicenter of all of sports and entertainment) would have been epic.

Although it would be pretty awesome if they held it at one of the major stadiums and it snowed.

[Halbowsky]

I remember paying $750 for 3rd row at WrestleMania XX and remembering that before then, the most a PPV ticket had ever been was $400. But the $750 was still worth every penny. And you're all right: I can't imagine WrestleMania XXX being held anywhere else but MSG. As Vince Sr. would say: "The 'Gahden' will always be The 'Gahden'"

[Team Sheep]

Yeah Platinum section tickets (first 10 rows) for Wrestlemania these days are $750, and that's in a stadium. I could see them going up to like $1000 for XXX if it is in The Garden, which I am certain it will be. They could charge whatever, they're always going to sell out Wrestlemania in a 20,000 capacity venue.

[Team Sheep]

The thing I tought was a bit lame about 21 and 22 was that the Raw the following night were in the same arena. Just thought that took away the specialty of the show, when it's the year's biggest event, and then their weekly television show is from the same building the following night. I love the uniqueness of having it in a stadium, for example every time I think of or see Ford Field, WM 23 instantly comes into my head.

[Skippord]

ok,it is greatConcasseur (http://www.concasseur.com.cn/)Concasseur à machoire (http://www.concasseur.com.cn/Product/Concasseurs/Concasseur-Jaw.html)Broyeur à machoires (http://www.concasseur.com.cn/Product/Broyeur/Broyeur-Jaw.html)Concasseurs à percussion (http://www.concasseur.com.cn/Product/Concasseurs/Concasseurs-Impact.html)Broyeur à percussion (http://www.concasseur.com.cn/Product/Broyeur/Broyeur-Impact.html)

[Crazy Nick]

wtf Skippord

[NeanderCarl]

I'm guessing as the arenas are announced a year in advance, and are probably arranged and booked probably 18 months in advance, they just follow the trends. Wrestling seemed to be on a downward swing around 2003/4, and Vince didn't want another embarrassing repeat of WrestleMania 7, where he announced it would take place at the 100,000 seat LA Memorial Coliseum and instead was forced to move it to the 20,000 seat LA Arena the weekend of the show.

The WWE have done a great job, almost unnoticed, during the last 5 years of turning WrestleMania into THE premier wrestling festival in the world. Activities begin mid week and continue through to the Tuesday tapings the week after, fans flock from worldwide, you have the Hall of Fame, the brunches, Axxcess, all the trimmings... so now, whatever the domestic climate, WrestleMania will sell shitloads of tickets. They can afford to book larger arenas because even if the bottom falls out of the business, they get SO many overseas fans at Mania they will not find themselves embarrassed come the day of broadcast as they did in 1991.

[NeanderCarl]

I'm still waiting for WrestleMania in Wembley Stadium or The Millennium Stadium, though.

Gonna be a loooooooooooooong wait too, methinks.

[Rob]

There was serious consideration to this last year. Dunno how likely now.

[DaveWadding]

Vince didn't want another embarrassing repeat of WrestleMania 7, where he announced it would take place at the 100,000 seat LA Memorial Coliseum and instead was forced to move it to the 20,000 seat LA Arena the weekend of the show.


Death threats...bomb threats. Sgt Slaughter Iraqi turncoat!!! :shifty:

Also, to claify my earlier quote: I havent seen 24 yet (or 23 for that matter, actually) and the Pontiac Silverdome was a DOME and hence fully indoors.

[NeanderCarl]

WM23, enjoyable show but take it or leave it... WM24 was a tremendous show. Check it out.

[Team Sheep]

I heard somewhere that Paris came 2nd in the run in for this year. Is that true?

[Team Sheep]

They don't need to take it out of North America anytime soon. Just look at the success of the past couple of years, and with all these new stadiums that have gone up across the US this decade, I don't think it will venture overseas in the near future. And I don't think a Wrestlemania overseas would have the same feal to it. I dunno, just my opinion.

[NeanderCarl]

The trouble is the time difference really. In this day and age, when people don't even bother watching Raw for free when it's been taped, a portion of the PPV audience won't plump out $50 to watch a taped show, Mania or not, when the results are online.

Stupid, I know, considering they get exactly the same end result (basically, knowing who wins the matches) if they watch the show, and it costs them $50 for the privelige when they could still just get the results online later in the night anyway... doesn't make much sense.

If WWE could hold WrestleMania over here and prevent the results from getting out prior to the start time in the US, I'm sure they would consider it.

[NeanderCarl]

I do think that if they held WrestleMania in London, they would have their biggest ever indoor crowd, smashing the "WrestleMania III record" (the true record belongs to SummerSlam '92 in Wembley, but they never seem to mention it).

[NeanderCarl]

If they could install some kind of mobile phone signal blocker over Wembley and start the PPV broadcast in the US whilst the actual show itself is still ongoing, then they could stop the results leaking.

[Team Sheep]

Lol. I think the only way it can be done is to start the show at midnight here. That's what they do with the boxing all the time. I don't think it would put many fans off. It's Wrestlemania!

[Team Sheep]

Then again with a 90,000 capacity building, a big majority of those fans aren't going to be true hardcore WWE fans, which would put them off going. They aren't really going to be willing to stay up all night for a wrestling show they're not really that bothered about.

Cause I bet you a lot of those fans in the top tiers in Orlando were just some locals on a night out.

[NeanderCarl]

Would US fans watch it live if it was shown in the afternoon though? I mean it's only a one-off, it's WrestleMania, and I'm pretty sure the PPVs used to be shown in the afternoon back in the day anyway.

[NeanderCarl]

In which case, they could start the event around 7pm UK time, 2pm US time. All gravy.

[Destor]

Nah, they'd make you all go to it in the middle of the night, we'd get it live at the usual start time.

[Destor]

Cause we hate you.

[NeanderCarl]

Imagine a crowd sitting through a show at 3am. A crowd at WrestleMania, yawning and falling asleep through the show, does not sound fun. In fact, it sounds like your average episode of SmackDown.

[Rob]

In which case, they could start the event around 7pm UK time, 2pm US time. All gravy.

Can't be done. There are more timezones in the States. That's the latest one. It would start at like 11am on the west coast.

Also the local transport comes to a stop at that time here. They'd need to run a Saturday night to pull it off.

[Xero]

Imagine a crowd sitting through a show at 3am. A crowd at WrestleMania, yawning and falling asleep through the show, does not sound fun. In fact, it sounds like your average episode of SmackDown.
Well, Cena would likely be the main event, so...

[NeanderCarl]

Can't be done. There are more timezones in the States. That's the latest one. It would start at like 11am on the west coast.


And? It's a Sunday, nobodys doing anything better.

Well, it's either come up with an appropriate time to show it live worldwide from the UK without playing in front of a tired, fading crowd that also satisfies the main audience in the US, or show it on tape delay and hope it doesn't affect the buyrate.

Well, the third option is just don't hold WrestleMania in the UK, but let's ignore that one.

[Team Sheep]

I don't think there can be any other time. 7pm EST is the prime start time in the US and I'm sure WWE won't risk their buyrates by puttin it on any earlier than that.

Sunday or not, there would still be a difference in buy rates whether it was an evening or an afternoon show.

It just seems like to many loopholes for WWE to bother with at this moment in time. Wrestlemania is booming in the US, there's no need for a change from their perspective.

[Team Sheep]

If they held it a week earlier than they did this year then the time difference from GMT and EST is only 4 hours, so they could start it at 11pm here. Better than midnight.

[Rob]

If they did it on a Saturday night, problem solved.

[Team Sheep]

They wouldn't have their biggest event of the year, the show they rely on to gain the most buys, most money, on a Saturday night.

[NeanderCarl]

Why not? Every boxing PPV I've ever seen was on a Saturday night, and it doesn't do their buy rates any harm.

[NeanderCarl]

Plus, PPVs back in the day were on random days, even weekdays, and sometimes at like 3pm. Obviously, at some point they decided Sunday was their most feasible day, but one Saturday show won't make a huge difference.

[Team Sheep]

Boxing reaches wider than wrestling. Anyone would know it's more popular by a country mile than wrestling. With Wrestlemania, WWE aim for as many buys possible from as many average joes as they can. With it being on a Sunday night there's more of a chance an average guy on a typical Sunday night in will order it. They've clearly been targeting common folk with the inclusions of Donald Trump and Floyd Mayweather in recent years, and I can count many people who came up to me who weren't wrestling fans at all but were intrigued by the Mayweather match, and a few actually ended up ordering it.

Now if that was on a Saturday, most average people are out on the town, or doing whatever, and if they had a choice of going out with their friends, or staying in to watch Mania, pretty obvious which one would be chosen. And also, Sunday is the tradition now. Some people might have assumed it was on the Sunday night, then they wake on the Sunday realising they've missed it.

I'm not saying that putting it on a Saturday would absolutely kill the buy rates, but I'm sure it would leave a noticeable dent.

[NeanderCarl]

I respectfully disagree. With the WWE marketing machine behind it, nobody's going to get the day mixed up. And if WrestleMania is worth $50 or £20 of your cash, you have to have more than a passing interest in it. And if you have $50/£20's worth of interest in it, you will take a night off from pasty smashing to watch it.

[NeanderCarl]

Plus, you telling me boxing doesn't also try to get the Average Joe buyrate too? Course they do, in particular for the "bigger" more visible fights. Hatton/Mayweather, for example, wasn't just bought by diehard boxing fans, and that started about 4am!

Boxing has successfully managed to attract Saturday night PPV buyers and stop them going out on the piss on a Saturday night, or even combine the two... in fact, if anything people buy slabs and get together and watch it at home, have parties... people are MORE likely to be attracted to sitting at home, watching WrestleMania with their mates and a few cans and having a laugh, than staying up til 4am (in the UK anyway) when they got work the next day.

[Team Sheep]

I know boxing does...but it can afford to. It has a different type of 'stigma' to it. It can come down to a social thing. It's seen as socially acceptable or 'cool' to stay in on a Saturday for a boxing match. To stay in for a wrestling event on the other hand, isn't.

And if an average guy shows some interest in it, it's pretty unlikely he'd also happen to find another 2/3/4 of his non-wrestling watching friends to give up their Saturday night to go over and watch it.

[Xero]

Do it live Saturday and do a taped replay Sunday.

Those who don't know that it's not being done on Saturday probably aren't the most savvy fans anyway and it wouldn't change it.

Those who can't watch it Saturday just do it Sunday. You're not going to lose a lot from the spoilers as long as the card is solid (though today that's a huge feat in and of itself).