Author: Brandon Thurston

Brandon Thurston has written about wrestling business since 2015. He’s also worked as an independent wrestler and trainer.

WWE Payback drew a million dollar gate; NXT No Mercy ticket sales

WWE Payback in Pittsburgh at PPG Paints Arena on Sept. 2 drew 11,680 ticket sales, generating $1,161,555, according to new Pollstar data. The average ticket sold was $99.

Later that month, on Sept. 30 in Bakersfield, Calif., NXT’s No Mercy event at Mechanics Bank Arena sold 4,308 tickets for $262,262, implying an average ticket sold price of $61.

WrestleTix estimated 13,014 tickets distributed (sales plus comps) for Payback. WWE announced the attendance as 12,468.

For No Mercy, WrestleTix estimated 4,954 tickets distributed.

Payback’s live gate was just under that of WWE Fastlane, which drew $1,181,229 from 11,680 ticket sales in Indianapolis on Oct. 7.

Other WWE pay-per-view/premium live events from this year that we have ticket sales data for from either Pollstar or (in the case of the Royal Rumble and Backlash) public records requests:

  • WWE Royal Rumble
  • Jan. 28, 2023 – San Antonio, TX
  • Tickets sold: 44,569
  • Gate: $7,316,940
  • Calculated average ticket sold price: $164

—

  • WWE Elimination Chamber
  • Feb. 18, 2023 – Montreal, QC
  • Tickets sold: 13,807
  • Gate: $997,637 USD ($1,344,266 CAN)
  • Calculated average ticket sold price: $72 USD ($97 CAN)

—

  • WWE Wrestlemania – Night 1
  • Apr. 1, 2023 – Inglewood, CA
  • Tickets sold: 63,243
  • Gate: $9,542,187
  • Calculated average ticket sold price: $151

—

  • WWE Wrestlemania – Night 2
  • Apr. 2, 2023 – Inglewood, CA
  • Tickets sold: 64,288
  • Gate: $10,206,884
  • Calculated average ticket sold price: $159

—

  • WWE Backlash
  • May 6, 2023 – San Juan, PR
  • Tickets sold: 15,104
  • Gate: $1,447,577
  • Calculated average ticket sold price: $96

—

  • WWE Money in the Bank
  • Jul. 1, 2023 – London, UK
  • Tickets sold: 15,471
  • Gate: $3,323,751 USD (£2,615,789 GBP)
  • Calculated average ticket sold price: $215 USD (£169 GBP)

Among main roster PLE/PPVs for 2023, we’re missing independent data for Summerslam in Detroit on Aug. 5 and the two Saudi Arabia events, Night of Champions in Jeddah on May 27 and Crown Jewel in Riyadh on Nov. 4.

WWE claimed the gate for Summerslam was $8.5 million and announced the attendance as 59,194. WrestleTix estimated 51,477 tickets out for that event.

WWE licenses each event in Saudi Arabia to the government’s General Entertainment Authority for a fee of about $50 million.

Brandon Thurston
brandon@wrestlenomics.com

Brandon Thurston has written about wrestling business since 2015. He’s also worked as an independent wrestler and trainer.

This article is available for everyone because of support from our subscribers.

SUBSCRIBE NOW

Support quality reporting on the wrestling business