WWE’s recent struggles with ticket sales have sparked a wave of discussion both inside and outside the wrestling world. With major events like Saturday Night’s Main Event in Salt Lake City drawing noticeably lower crowds than expected, even longtime stars like Matt Hardy are weighing in on what’s behind the decline. In a candid interview on his podcast, The Extreme Life of Matt Hardy, the veteran wrestler offered his perspective, suggesting that the product simply isn’t “white hot” right now and that fans are feeling the pinch from soaring ticket prices.
Ticket Sales Drop Sparks Backstage Concern
WWE’s return to Salt Lake City for Saturday Night’s Main Event on November 1, 2025, was supposed to be a marquee event, featuring a pay-per-view-level card. Instead, the Delta Center was far from packed. According to WrestleTix, only 7,867 tickets were distributed for a venue setup of 8,088, a significant drop from the 11,000–12,000 fans WWE has averaged for major events this year.
Backstage, sources say the mood was “very disappointing.” One WWE insider told us, “There’s real frustration among the higher-ups. We moved a lot of fans down to lower sections to make the arena look fuller on camera, which is never a good sign. It’s not just Salt Lake City—this has been a trend across several non-televised events lately.”
The previous SmackDown taping in the same arena, just 11 months prior, drew 8,394 fans, and the SmackDown taping the night before Saturday Night’s Main Event struggled as well, with only 4,226 fans in attendance. The upper tiers, which had been tarped off for SmackDown, were reopened for the Main Event, but even that didn’t help boost sales.
Matt Hardy: “The Product Is Not White Hot”
Matt Hardy, a veteran of the industry and a fan favorite, didn’t mince words when asked about the recent reports. “The product is not ‘white hot’ right now,” Hardy said on his podcast. “When the product is white hot, people are willing to pay more and show up in droves. But when the storylines aren’t connecting, or the big names aren’t there, it’s harder to get fans excited.”
Hardy pointed to two major factors: high ticket prices and the absence of John Cena. “Cena is obviously a major marketing move,” Hardy explained. “When he’s on the card, it brings in a different kind of crowd. He’s a draw, plain and simple. And with ticket prices nearly doubling since the TKO merger, fans are being asked to pay a lot more for a product that, in some cases, isn’t delivering the same excitement.”
Ticket Prices Soar, Attendance Drops
Data from Wrestlenomics and Pollstar confirms what fans have been feeling: WWE ticket prices have nearly doubled since the TKO merger in September 2023. The average domestic ticket price for WWE’s weekly main roster television events has seen a sharp increase, while attendance has declined. In contrast, other live events—like concerts and AEW shows—have seen more stable pricing and attendance.
Nick Khan, WWE President, addressed the issue on the company’s Q3 earnings call, defending the pricing strategy. “We’ve reduced the number of non-televised live events, which creates more scarcity in the marketplace for our televised events,” Khan said. “Our continued international expansion only furthered that. Capacity continues to be very high, and we’ve increased prices appropriately with the marketplace. That’s for the PLEs, RAW, SmackDown, SNME, and every other ticketed program that WWE has. We remain bullish on it.”
But not everyone agrees. “The pricing is out of touch,” said a longtime WWE fan who attended the Salt Lake City event. “I’ve been going to WWE shows for years, but this year, the prices are just too high for what you’re getting. And when the big stars aren’t there, it’s even harder to justify.”
The John Cena Factor
John Cena’s absence from WWE’s recent events has been a topic of discussion among fans and insiders alike. “Cena is a unique draw,” said a WWE insider. “He brings in casual fans, families, and people who might not otherwise attend. When he’s not on the card, it’s harder to fill the seats, especially at these higher price points.”
Hardy echoed this sentiment. “Cena is a marketing move. He’s not just a wrestler; he’s a brand. When he’s not there, it’s harder to generate that buzz. And right now, with the product not white hot, that buzz is even more important.”
What’s Next for WWE?
WWE’s strategy of reducing the number of non-televised live events and increasing prices for televised events is designed to create scarcity and drive revenue. But as ticket sales continue to slow, the company may need to reassess its approach. “We’re seeing a cooling off in ticket sales for several shows,” noted a source close to WWE’s booking team. “Christmas week advances are down, and there’s concern about how this will play out in the coming months.”
For now, WWE remains bullish on its pricing and event strategy. But as Matt Hardy and others have pointed out, the product needs to be “white hot” to justify the higher prices and keep fans coming back. With the absence of major draws like John Cena and the continued rise in ticket prices, WWE may need to find new ways to connect with its audience and reignite the excitement that once filled arenas.