WWE Fans Won't Be Happy With TKO COO's Comments On Ticket Price Affordability

As WWE continues to tout record gates in seemingly every city they set up shop, wrestling fans across the country are feeling the pinch of higher ticket prices.

Just as an example, the cheapest ticket currently available for Friday's episode of SmackDown in Norfolk, Virginia is running north of $80 on Ticketmaster. It's more than double that if you have hopes of getting a seat at the next Premium Live Event.

While those prices are certainly more affordable for the individual, the cost of attending a WWE event these days can really start to add up for families, the very demographic that the company markets its PG product toward.

Unfortunately, comments made by TKO COO Mark Shapiro during the Goldman Sachs Communacopia + Technology Conference this week do not instill much faith that prices are set to drop any time soon.

TKO Group, the parent company of WWE and UFC, are aiming to get wrestling on par with the fighting game in terms of ticket yields.

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“We’ve seen a meaningful increase, as evidenced by the 59% margin we did in the second quarter. Ticket sales and site fees play a big part in driving that," Shapiro said.

"We know we have a lot of room there because Vince McMahon was primarily pricing tickets for families and wasn’t totally focused on maxing the opportunity there. We see what we can do with the UFC and we’re replicating that in terms of ticket yield and advance sales when it comes to On Location on the WWE side."

TKO hoping next Premium Live Event can become a WWE staple

WWE is nine days away from hosting the inaugural Wrestlepalooza at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indianapolis. This show in particular is a big one for the company as it marks the beginning of the new media rights deal with ESPN, but there's even higher hopes for the PLE's future overall.

“Hopefully, Wrestlepalooza is a winner that we can bring back annually. That could be a marketing bonanza for us if we do that right," Mark Sharipo said on Wednesday.

"Triple H is spending night and day creatively around making that what we think it could be, which is another WrestleMania or another SummerSlam. Those two stand out above the rest. Royal Rumble is right beneath that. We think Wrestlepalooza can get into that quadrant.” h/t Fightful.

There are currently four matches booked for the first Wrestlepalooza, headlined by what will likely be the last ever meeting between John Cena and Brock Lesnar. The show will also feature a major mixed tag team match between Seth Rollins & Becky Lynch and CM Punk & AJ Lee, and a new Women's World Champion will be crowned when IYO SKY faces off against Stepahnie Vaquer.

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