WWE’s “Day 1” premium live event isn’t taking place, according to multiple sources. The event originally scheduled for January 1, 2023 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta isn’t being rescheduled or rebranded.
There’s no PLE for WWE expected between Survivor Series on November 26 and Royal Rumble on January 28.
We couldn’t confirm a reason but the cancellation could be related to appeasing WWE’s business partner NBCUniversal.
Day 1 would’ve gone head-to-head on Peacock with NBC’s last Sunday Night Football game of the regular season, when the Los Angeles teams, the Rams and Chargers, play each other. Many other neighboring weeknights would obviously conflict with WWE TV. Holding a WWE event the night prior on Saturday would mean running it on New Years Eve.
It’s true, though, that in 2021, Extreme Rules, Survivor Series, and NXT War Games were all on Sunday nights, airing on Peacock during NFL season, against Sunday Night Football.
Day 1 in 2022 took place on a Saturday in Atlanta, and was believed to be the beginning of an annual tradition.
We reached out to WWE media relations and to State Farm Arena to confirm Day 1 has been canceled, but haven’t received a response.
Brandon Thurston
brandon@wrestlenomics.com