Overview
- TKO Group president Mark Shapiro told investors on the company’s earnings call that Crown Jewel is a “firm go” and that the risk of cancellation is extremely minimal.
- Organizers moved the event from an outdoor Riyadh Season stadium to the indoor ANB Arena and offered ticket refunds as a security precaution.
- The company has lined up a long list of U.S. cities as backup hosts for WrestleMania 43 and said it has already received half of the payment from its Saudi partners.
- WWE changed production plans so commentary and major parts of the broadcast will be run from Stamford, Connecticut, it offered crew $3,000 in hazard pay, and some crew members declined to travel.
- Talent and key staff arrived in Riyadh without incident and the U.S. Embassy publicly welcomed the event, even as critics note the company’s deep commercial ties to Saudi Arabia amid ongoing regional attacks and human rights scrutiny.