Despite protests calling for the event to be paused or canceled, WWE announced via their quarterly report for Q3 that WWE Crown Jewel will happen as planned on November 2, 2018, at King Saud University Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Comparing itself to other companies, WWE says it plans to, “uphold its contractual obligations to the General Sports Authority” with the event, which could’ve cost them a lot of money if it’d been canceled. Here’s the full blurb, from the report:
2018 Business Outlook
- Full year 2018 Adjusted OIBDA is expected to range from $160 million to $170 million, which would be consistent with the Company’s previous guidance
- WWE has operated in the Middle East for nearly 20 years and has developed a sizable and dedicated fan base. Considering the heinous crime committed at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, the Company faced a very difficult decision as it relates to its event scheduled for November 2 in Riyadh. Similar to other U.S.-based companies who plan to continue operations in Saudi Arabia, the Company has decided to uphold its contractual obligations to the General Sports Authority and stage the event. Full year 2018 guidance is predicated on the staging of the Riyadh event as scheduled
This rationale goes along with what stars like JBL and Randy Orton have been saying on behalf of the company and its plans this week.
No word yet on whether or not the report that John Cena has refused to compete at the event is true, but Crown Jewel is set to feature a “World Cup” tournament of American wrestlers to see who is the “best in the world,” as well as the in-ring return of Shawn Michaels and a match for the now vacant Universal Championship.
