WWE is taking its decision on whether or not to hold the Crown Jewel event in Saudi Arabia down to the wire. With tickets expected to go on sale shortly for the event, WWE faces a multi-million dollar decision on whether to pull the plug on the event in the aftermath of reports detailing the Saudi government detaining Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi before killing and dismembering him.
According to Deadline, should WWE consider bailing on its 10-year deal with Saudi Arabia, it could mean a difference of $12-16 million in operating income in 2019. According to the report, even a decision to delay or move the Crown Jewel show could cause a $2-3 million fourth-quarter cashflow hit.
WWE has been silent on what should be a fairly simple decision. U.S. Senators have urged the company in recent weeks to bail on the show. President Trump, however, previously suggested that the amount of money Saudi Arabia brings into our country would make taking action against them “unacceptable.”
WWE previously ran the Greatest Royal Rumble in Saudi Arabia back in April. At the time, Triple H noted, “I understand that people are questioning it, but you have to understand that every culture is different and just because you don’t agree with a certain aspect of it, it doesn’t mean it’s not a relevant culture.”
