Add as a preferred source on Google WrestleMania 43 is heading to Riyadh, but WWE has no intention of handing the biggest pro-wrestling weekend in the United States over to its rivals.
The company is putting together official watch parties in major markets, along with live events, to keep its brand at the center of the industry while the show itself takes place in Saudi Arabia.
During Wrestling Observer Live, Bryan Alvarez explained that the initiative was put together to occupy the spaces AEW and other companies could otherwise take advantage of.
“I’ve been told that their idea is to do watch parties around the United States in major markets. So they’re trying to get a jump on this whole AEW and everyone else that’s gonna want to do something during WrestleMania 43 weekend.”
According to Alvarez, the expansion won’t be limited to New York City.
“The cities I was told were New York, L.A., Dallas, and Orlando. It’s like 1985 again—it’s a closed circuit. You can buy a ticket, watch WrestleMania, and get some matches.”
So far, only New York has been officially confirmed. The Infosys Theater, located within the Madison Square Garden complex, will host watch parties on both nights, complete with big LED screens, sponsor activations and merchandise sales.
After each broadcast, the venue will follow with a live show — NXT Stand & Deliver on one night, AAA Eternal Glory on the other.
WWE also announced that additional watch parties will be held at major commercial venues and select Cosm locations. Fanatics will run interactive experiences and special retail stores in New York, while ticket and date details remain pending.
The move comes after Tony Khan called the possibility of a major AEW event in the United States on the same weekend “potentially viable.” So far, though, the company hasn’t announced any show for those dates.
Alvarez summed up WWE’s goal:
“That is their plan: to have an American presence over WrestleMania weekend.”
The comparison to 1985 isn’t a coincidence. The first WrestleMania, also held at Madison Square Garden, was broadcast via closed circuit to arenas and theaters across the United States.