How Much Money WWE - and Tampa Bay - Lost When WrestleMania 36 Was Moved

How ESPN Plans to Survive Without Sports During Coronavirus Hiatus

Getty Images

How Much Money WWE – and Tampa Bay – Lost When WrestleMania 36 Was Moved

by Tony Maglio | March 17, 2020 @ 1:25 PM

“There may be some other business that gets saved by going on with WrestleMania on the scheduled date,” Brandon Thurston of WrestleNomics tells TheWrap

When Vince McMahon elected to move WrestleMania 36 from Tampa Bay’s Raymond James Stadium to Orlando’s empty WWE Performance Center amid the coronavirus pandemic, he didn’t just lose a live audience — he lost money. And though WWE is missing out on tens of millions of dollars in revenue, Tampa and its surrounding area must forgo exponentially more.

Last year, WrestleMania 35 sold out at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium and drew $16.9 million at the gate, according to WWE. Only WrestleMania 32 at AT&T Stadium in Dallas out-grossed WrestleMania 35, the sports entertainment giant said.

Become a member to read more.

On Tuesday, Raymond James Stadium announced that all WrestleMania tickets would be refunded at the point of purchase. It is reasonable to assume ticket revenue would have been down for the now-scrapped event, as MetLife’s capacity is 82,500 and Raymond James’ is 65,890. (AT&T Stadium holds 80,000 fans.)

Plus, revenue for WWE’s domestic live events is currently down. In the most recently wrapped quarter, WWE’s ticket sales were down 20% year-over-year. (For 2019 as a whole, live-event revenue is more like -13% vs. 2018.) Now, some of that is due to WWE having staged fewer events than in the past, but average attendance is down 15% per live event. Ticket prices were essentially flat.

Also Read: Rob Gronkowski Signs With WWE, Will Debut on Next Week's 'SmackDown' (Exclusive)

Brandon Thurston of WrestleNomics estimated for TheWrap that WrestleMania 36 at Raymond James Stadium would have drawn a gate of around $15 million. He believes the four adjacent shows at Amalie Arena would have contributed another $4 million.

The last two years, the WrestleMania quarter generated an extra $3 million for WWE in merchandise sales, which brings the as-originally-planned WrestleMania 36 value to around $22 million, tacking that revenue on to Thurston’s numbers.

“Refunds for all WrestleMania Week events are available at all original points of purchase. If you purchased your tickets through Ticketmaster, you will automatically be refunded in the next 30 days,” Raymond James Stadium said in a Tuesday statement. “If you purchased your tickets at the ReliaQuest Ticket Office at Amalie Arena, refunds will be made available once the ticket office reopens. Currently the ticket office is closed for safety reasons due to the current COVID-19 virus situation.”

Also Read: Coronavirus: The Canceled Events in Tech, Media, Politics and Entertainment (Updating)

Last year, WWE announced that 82,265 fans made WrestleMania 35 a sell-out, though WWE-announced attendance is usually taken with a grain of salt. Thurston is one such skeptic. He estimates attendance was more like 63,000 paying customers, using WWE’s own numbers to get there.

WWE did not respond to TheWrap’s requests for comment on this story. TheWrap also reached out to the Tampa Sports Commission with questions about the local-market impact of WrestleMania 36 being moved out of the area, but we did not immediately hear back.

“In coordination with local partners and government officials, WrestleMania and all related events in Tampa Bay will not take place,” WWE said in its Monday relocation statement ahead of “Raw.” “However, WrestleMania will still stream live on Sunday, April 5 at 7 p.m. ET on WWE Network and be available on pay-per-view. Only essential personnel will be on the closed set at WWE’s training facility in Orlando, Florida to produce WrestleMania.”

Also Read: Starz Pro-Wrestling Series 'Heels' Casts Former Pittsburgh Steelers Linebacker James Harrison

In November, N.J. Gov. Phil Murphy said WrestleMania 35 and its side events generated $165.4 million in “direct, indirect and induced impact” in April for the New York/New Jersey region. Thurston thinks those numbers, which were generated by a study from the Enigma Research Corporation, are also significantly overstated — but he himself does not estimate local-economy impact.

By Murphy’s numbers, the 2019 event was the eighth-straight WrestleMania to generate more than $100 million in economic impact for its host region.

There’s no reason to believe that trend would have stopped, though it makes sense that the Tampa Bay-area take would be down from New York/New Jersey. Again, the crowd traveling to attend WrestleMania itself would be lighter than last year, the market size is significantly smaller and the cost of living in Tampa is much lower than in the New York City metropolitan area.

Here are some more points pulled from the Enigma study:

More than half (52%) of WrestleMania 35 attendees were from outside the region. They stayed an average of 4.6 nights, spending $23.9 million on hotels and accommodations.
Visitors to the region spent another $6.6 million at area restaurants.
The “derived” impact was equal to the creation of 1,534 full-time jobs for the area.

So Tampa is missing out on some presumably smaller version of those economy boosters. (But hey, you’re probably getting Tom Brady now!)

Also Read: Goldberg Dethrones 'The Fiend' Bray Wyatt in Saudi Arabia, and WWE Twitter Is PISSED

Obviously amid the coronavirus pandemic, WWE could not responsibly hold WrestleMania 36 in a packed Raymond James Stadium, and if McMahon didn’t shut it down, the local government likely would have. (The Tampa Bay council has its next meeting set for Thursday at 1:30 p.m. ET, and WrestleMania alternatives were on the agenda.)

What WWE could have done, however, was postpone its biggest event of the year — that’s what almost everyone else is doing. But with talent booked and storylines set to pay off in a few weeks, that is admittedly a little tougher to do in sports entertainment than it is in pure sports. As one WWE insider told TheWrap, due to ongoing COVID-19 situation, the reality was that no one inside the company believed 65,000 people will be able to be crammed in an arena “anytime soon.”

On Monday, President Donald Trump warned the coronavirus pandemic could last until the summer, a much more sobering estimate than we had previously heard.

Also Read: NHL and MLB Postpone Seasons, NCAA Tourney Canceled, Masters Delayed as Coronavirus Spreads

The audience-free ‘Mania is not all doom and gloom, Thurston says. For starters, WWE should be able to cut costs with a very scaled-down production.

“There may be some other business that gets saved by going on with WrestleMania on the scheduled date, including the agreement they have with Mars to make Snickers the official sponsor of the event,” he said.

Thurston also pointed out that it is possible venue deposits can be transferred to a later date — maybe for a future Royal Rumble pay-per-view event. Raymond James Stadium isn’t the only Tampa Bay pirate ship that is owed (through no one’s fault) a make-good, however: WWE had planned to run four events at the Amalie Arena, the former Ice Palace.

Perhaps McMahon can find some money in the couch cushions of his Stamford, Conn. office. One real place he might want to look for more revenue is his streaming service, WWE Network.

Fans will still want to watch this audience-less WrestleMania, which includes matches like John Cena vs. “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt, Goldberg vs. Roman Reigns, and Shayna Baszler vs. Becky Lynch, among others.

“Going on with ‘Mania, as weird as it will be with no fans, gives WWE some hope of still attracting the annual bump in WWE Network subscribers they would otherwise expect,” Thurston said.

Though: “The uncertain conditions probably hinder the negotiations to sell streaming rights of WWE pay-per-view events to a major streaming player,” Thurston acknowledged.

McMahon previously said any such deal could be completed by the end of this month.

WWE could use the revenue: Its stock price is way down. At the time of this writing, shares of WWE were trading just south of $35 apiece. While WWE stock is having a good individual day, it’s had a rough year. WWE shares had traded as high as $100 within the past 52 weeks.

Also Read: It's 3:16 Day and WWE Stock Is Down 15%

WWE did not immediately respond to TheWrap’s requests for comment on this story. TheWrap also reached out to the Tampa Sports Commission with questions about the local-market impact of WrestleMania 36 being moved out of the area, but we did not immediately hear back.

WrestleMania 36, which will take place from the Performance Center, streams Sunday, April 5 on WWE Network.

Every WWE Champion Ever, Ranked by Number of Reigns (Photos)

Pro-wrestling championship belts change hands (or waists) like grapplers change ring gear these days, though it wasn't always that way. Bobby Lashley is the current WWE Championship after an incredibly short-lived reign by The Miz. It is Lashley's first-ever stint as WWE Champion, and it comes at a cool time: a month and change ahead of WrestleMania 37.

Scroll through our gallery to see every WWE Champion ever, ranked by their number(s) of title wins. Remember: this is a list of those who won the WWWF Championship, the WWF Championship or the WWE Championship. So don't come after us, Universal Champions, et al.

Also Read: How The Miz Balances Comedy With Wrestling: ‘A Lot of People Are One-Trick Ponies. I’m Not’
WWE
Rank: 31 (tie)
Wrestler: Kofi Kingston
# of Reigns: 1

The power of positivity.

Also Read: WWE Legend Shawn Michaels Is a Bad Dad – and in a Ton of Danger – in ’90 Feet From Home’ Trailer (Exclusive Video)
Rank: 31 (tie)
Wrestler: Jeff Hardy
# of Reigns: 1

The un-"Broken" half of the Hardy Boyz has had the more storied singles career.

Also Read: ‘SmackDown Live': Daniel Bryan Ends AJ Styles’ 371-Day Reign as WWE Champion (Video)
Rank: 31 (tie)
Wrestler: Bray Wyatt
# of Reigns: 1

Abigail's brother used to go by "Husky Harris" -- we'd say this run is working out better for him.

Also Read: 7-Time WWE World Heavyweight Champ Edge on Where He Ranks, Size-Wise, in the Land of ‘Vikings’
Rank: 31 (tie)
Wrestler: Sgt. Slaughter
# of Reigns: 1

Camel Clutch, Cobra Clutch -- whatever "C"-animal it was, it hurt.

Also Read: WWE Hall of Famer Edge on Why Hollywood Loves to Work With Wrestlers
Rank: 31 (tie)
Wrestler: Dean Ambrose
# of Reigns: 1

And "The Lunatic Fringe" pulled this off while wearing jeans.

Also Read: WWE ‘Raw’ Won’t Run Long on USA Network Anymore
Rank: 31 (tie)
Wrestler: Chris Jericho
# of Reigns: 1

You're a "stupid idiot" if you didn't know this guy made "The List."

Also Read: Ex-WWE Intercontinental Champion Jeff Jarrett Out as Impact Wrestling Chief Creative Officer
Rank: 31 (tie)
Wrestler: Eddie Guerrero
# of Reigns: 1

Generally considered one of the best ever to have done it held the big-boy belt for 133.

Also Read: Kurt Angle to Return to WWE Ring After 11-Year Hiatus, Replacing Roman Reigns at ‘TLC’ PPV
Rank: 31 (tie)
Wrestler: Jinder Mahal
# of Reigns: 1

Shortly before this publishing, the "Modern-Day Maharaja" dropped the title to A.J. Styles, ending a somewhat confusing run right before the WWE went to India.

Also Read: Stephanie McMahon on Why the Women of WWE ‘Are Stealing the Show’ (Video)
Rank: 31 (tie)
Wrestler: John "Bradshaw" Layfield
# of Reigns: 1

JBL has taken his heel persona from the ring to the announce table. Never without a cowboy hat, Layfield thankfully leaves his lariat clothesline at home.

Also Read: Lance Russell, Longtime Pro Wrestling Commentator, Dies at 91
Rank: 31 (tie)
Wrestler: The Ultimate Warrior
# of Reigns: 1

The muscle-bound maniac who handed Hulk Hogan his first-ever "WrestleMania" loss died after suffering a heart attack three days after being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.

Also Read: How ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin Would Do on His ‘Broken Skull Challenge’
Rank: 31 (tie)
Wrestler: "Superstar" Billy Graham
# of Reigns: 1

"Superstar" Billy Graham was a bodybuilder and buddy of Arnold Schwarzenegger. Yeah, blame Graham's body for Jinder Mahal.

Also Read: Ric Flair Details Near-Death Episode After Decades of Drinking: ‘It Scared the Sh– Out of Me’
Rank: 31 (tie)
Wrestler: Kevin Nash
# of Reigns: 1

You mean Tarzan from "Magic Mike"?!?!? Yes, yes we do.

Also Read: WWE Icon Bobby ‘The Brain’ Heenan Dies at 73
Rank: 31 (tie)
Wrestler: Pedro Morales
# of Reigns: 1

History lesson: Back in the WWWF days, Morales became the first guy in wrestling history to win all three of the major men's titles -- the WWF Championship, the Intercontinental Championship and the WWF Tag Team Championship -- in the company.

Also Read: WWE Superstar Big Show’s Clean-Shaven Look Sends Twitter Into a Tailspin
Rank: 31 (tie)
Wrestler: André the Giant
# of Reigns: 1

The stories about André the Giant sometimes feel as tall as he was.

Also Read: Cody on Why Ring of Honor World Championship Makes Him Feel ‘Vindicated’
Rank: 31 (tie)
Wrestler: The Iron Sheik
# of Reigns: 1

This guy is as big a hit on Twitter as he was in the ring.

Also Read: WWE Bans Beach Balls After ‘SummerSlam’ Incident Involving Cesaro
Rank: 31 (tie)
Wrestler: Kane
# of Reigns: 1

You wouldn't know it by looking at him, but Kane is one of the smartest Superstars in WWE history.

Also Read: Why Wrestler Cody Can’t Be Pinned Down by His Stage Name
Rank: 31 (tie)
Wrestler: Rey Mysterio
# of Reigns: 1

We're not going to talk about how ridiculous the setup to his finishing move, "The 6-1-9," became. This is a happy list.

Also Read: WWE Star Dana Brooke Mourns the Death of Her Boyfriend Dallas McCarver: ‘You Were My Life’
Rank: 31 (tie)
Wrestler: Stan Stasiak
# of Reigns: 1

Unfortunately Stasiak only held the belt for nine days.

Also Read: Watch WWE Superstar John Cena Tear Up as He’s Surprised by Thankful Fans (Video)
Rank: 31 (tie)
Wrestler: Rob Van Dam
# of Reigns: 1

One of the most popular ECW wrestlers of all-time, RVD has brought his three initials to seemingly every pro-wrestling promotion with three initials.

Also Read: ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin Is ‘Down With Anybody Using the Stunner’
Rank: 31 (tie)
Wrestler: Ivan Koloff
# of Reigns: 1

The "Russian Bear" was actually Canadian.

Also Read: Lin-Manuel Miranda Makes Surprise Appearance at WWE SummerSlam
Rank: 31 (tie)
Wrestler: Buddy Rogers
# of Reigns: 1

Rogers was kinda-sorta the first champion in the company. It's complicated -- ask Killer Kowalski and Bruno Sammartino.

Also Read: WWE ‘SummerSlam': Watch Braun Strowman Dump an Announce Table on Brock Lesnar (Video)
Rank: 31 (tie)
Wrestler: Vince McMahon
# of Reigns: 1

Hell, Mr. McMahon runs the damn company -- of course he made this list.

Also Read: WWE SummerSlam 2017: 9 Things You Didn’t See on TV
Rank: 31 (tie)
Wrestler: Bobby Lashley
# of Reigns: 1
Rank: 16 (tie)
Wrestler: The Miz
# of Reigns: 2

The kid from "The Real World" made good on his over-the-top MTV promos. One of the best on the mic, Miz has been holding down the Intercontinental Championship more than any other Superstar of the past few years.

Also Read: WWE Superstar Charlotte Flair on Ric Flair’s Recovery, Baring All in New Book: ‘It Was Ugly’
Rank: 16 (tie)
Wrestler: Drew McIntyre
# of Reigns: 2

Scottish Psychopath joined the WWE Champions' and two-timers club all in 2020.

Also Read: Watch Trailer for Surprisingly Revealing WWE Network Docuseries ‘Undertaker: The Last Ride’ (Video)
Rank: 16 (tie)
Wrestler: Batista
# of Reigns: 2

Guardian of the Galaxy, defender of WWE Championship.

Also Read: WWE Legend Ric Flair Hospitalized With ‘Tough Medical Issues’
Rank: 16 (tie)
Wrestler: The Big Show
# of Reigns: 2

You can't miss this two-time champ -- not even in a mega-arena.

Also Read: Watch WWE’s Sasha Banks Transform Into a Flesh-Craving Ghoul (Video)
Rank: 16 (tie)
Wrestler: A.J. Styles
# of Reigns: 2

"The Phenomenal One" held the belt for 371-straight days, which is a record for a "SmackDown" wrestler.

Also Read: WWE Network to Launch in China
Rank: 16 (tie)
Wrestler: Alberto Del Rio
# of Reigns: 2

Si! Si! Si! Si! Si! Si! Si!

Also Read: Is Fox Counting Out John Cena’s ‘American Grit’? ‘Obviously, the Ratings Were Not Great,’ CEO Says
Rank: 16 (tie)
Wrestler: Sycho Sid
# of Reigns: 2

It was a long way down from Shawn Michaels' former bodyguard's power-bomb.

Also Read: Eva Marie Says a ‘Bittersweet Goodbye’ to WWE
Rank: 16 (tie)
Wrestler: "Nature Boy" Ric Flair
# of Reigns: 2

If you haven't watched ESPN's new "30 for 30: Nature Boy," do that. Oh, and look up Flair's ridiculous NWA runs too.

Also Read: Watch WWE Superstar Shinsuke Nakamura Drop John Cena Straight on His Head (Video)
Rank: 16 (tie)
Wrestler: Sheamus
# of Reigns: 2

Master of the Brogue Kick, Rocksteady in the "Ninja Turtles" movies -- which is the greater accomplishment?

Also Read: WWE Takes on ‘Twin Peaks’ in Bizarre Parody (Video)
Rank: 16 (tie)
Wrestler: Seth Rollins
# of Reigns: 2

He's BURN(ed) IT DOWN more than once.

Also Read: Paramount Recruits John Cena for ‘Bumblebee,’ Sets Release Date
Rank: 16 (tie)
Wrestler: Yokozuna
# of Reigns: 2

That belt needed a few extenders to fit around the sumo.

Also Read: ‘Total Divas’ Star Carmella: WWE ‘Women’s Revolution’ Is Going Strong
Rank: 16 (tie)
Wrestler: CM Punk
# of Reigns: 2

Let's just say he was a little less successful in the UFC.

Also Read: WWE Reveals New Cast of ‘Total Divas,’ Sets Premiere Date for ‘Total Bellas’ Season 2 (Video)
Rank: 16 (tie)
Wrestler: Randy "Macho Man" Savage
# of Reigns: 2

Before he snapped into Slim Jims, the "Macho Man" was snapping dudes in half.

Also Read: WWE ‘SmackDown Live’ Commissioner Shane McMahon Walks Away From Helicopter Crash (Video)
Rank: 16 (tie)
Wrestler: Bob Backlund
# of Reigns: 2

Backlund couldn't "Make Darren Young Great Again" -- or even keep the guy employed -- but the master of the cross-face chicken wing had a pretty incredible career of his own.

Also Read: ‘Talking Smack’ Canceled as Weekly WWE Network Show
Rank: 16 (tie)
Wrestler: Bruno Sammartino
# of Reigns: 2

Google him, kids.

Also Read: Stephanie McMahon, Mark Giordano Among Winners at ESPN Sports Humanitarian Awards
Rank: 13 (tie)
Wrestler: Mankind
# of Reigns: 3

Mick Foley nearly killed himself to raise these titles.

Also Read: ‘WWE Great Balls of Fire': Watch Samoa Joe Slam Brock Lesnar Through a Table (Video)
Rank: 13 (tie)
Wrestler: Roman Reigns
# of Reigns: 3

Go ahead and boo him, Universe -- WWE is still the Big Dog's turf right now.

Also Read: Austin Aries Released by WWE
Rank: 13 (tie)
Wrestler: Shawn Michaels
# of Reigns: 3

Before he found God, the "Heartbreak Kid" found jaws with his foot, popularizing the Superkick.

Also Read: WWE Legend Jim Cornette Trashes ‘GLOW': ‘Hated It!’ (Audio)
Rank: 9 (tie)
Wrestler: Daniel Bryan
# of Reigns: 4

Welcome back, (current) champ.

Also Read: Roman Reigns Attempts to Kill Braun Strowman in WWE ‘GBOF’ Ambulance Crash (Video)
Rank: 9 (tie)
Wrestler: Edge
# of Reigns: 4

On this day, you can see clearly... that Edge is one of the best to ever lace up.

Also Read: YouTube Stars, WWE Wrestler, PETA Pay Tribute to Actress Stevie Ryan
Rank: 9 (tie)
Wrestler: The Undertaker
# of Reigns: 4

The Dead Man is truly a living legend.

Also Read: Trump Gets a DOJ Smackdown in Photoshopped WWE Clip (Video)
Rank: 9 (tie)
Wrestler: Kurt Angle
# of Reigns: 4

Top 10, it's true -- it's damn true.

Also Read: Trump vs CNN: POTUS Tweets Faked WWE Video of Himself Body-Slamming Network
Rank: 7 (tie)
Wrestler: Brock Lesnar
# of Reigns: 5

Eat. Sleep. Win Titles. Repeat.

Also Read: LaVar Ball and Sons Take Over WWE’s ‘Monday Night Raw’ (Video)
Rank: 7 (tie)
Wrestler: Bret "Hitman" Hart
# of Reigns: 5

The best there is, the best there was, and the best there ever will be.

Also Read: WWE’s Daniel Bryan on Everything He’s Doing to (Possibly) Return to Wrestling Action
Rank: 5 (tie)
Wrestler: Hulk Hogan
# of Reigns: 6

Hulkamania was real. Then again, so was Gawker at one point.

Also Read: WWE’s Daniel Bryan on ‘MITB’ Opening Ladder Match Finish: ‘I Saw a Lot of Women Upset’
Rank: 5 (tie)
Wrestler: "Stone Cold" Steve Austin
# of Reigns: 6

On the Mt. Rushmore of all-time greats, and that's the bottom line.

Also Read: Watch John Cena Deadlift Jimmy Fallon (Video)
Rank: 3 (tie)
Wrestler: The Rock
# of Reigns: 8

He may be Dwayne Johnson now, but he'll always be "The Rock" to us.

Also Read: WWE’s Austin Aries Teaches Us How to Have Awesome Facial Hair
Rank: 3 (tie)
Wrestler: Triple H
# of Reigns: 8

Boss of The Authority has two words for the other guys on this list. We can't reprint them.

Also Read: John Cena Buries His Reputation for Burying Other WWE Talent: ‘They’re Not as Motivated’
Rank: 2
Wrestler: Randy Orton
# of Reigns: 10

The Viper has RKO'd a lot of dudes outta nowhere.

Also Read: New WWE Champ Jinder Mahal on Resurrecting the Classic Villain: ‘It Always Works’
Rank: 1
Wrestler: John Cena
# of Reigns: 13

U Can't See Him.

Also Read: Ring of Honor Boss on How to Compete With WWE: Maybe You Don’t
Who's next -- err, NXT?

Also Read: Brock Lesnar Has Extended His WWE Contract Through WrestleMania 35

1 of 55

From Buddy Rogers to Bobby Lashley, here are all the guys from the old WWWF and WWF days — and beyond

Pro-wrestling championship belts change hands (or waists) like grapplers change ring gear these days, though it wasn't always that way. Bobby Lashley is the current WWE Championship after an incredibly short-lived reign by The Miz. It is Lashley's first-ever stint as WWE Champion, and it comes at a cool time: a month and change ahead of WrestleMania 37.

Scroll through our gallery to see every WWE Champion ever, ranked by their number(s) of title wins. Remember: this is a list of those who won the WWWF Championship, the WWF Championship or the WWE Championship. So don't come after us, Universal Champions, et al.

Also Read: How The Miz Balances Comedy With Wrestling: ‘A Lot of People Are One-Trick Ponies. I’m Not’

View In Gallery