The recent expansion of WWE, outside the United States has become a game-changing move to gain a larger audience. In recent years, WWE has been aggressively expanding into new regions, such as Asia, Europe and the Middle East, with the aim of reaching new audiences and generating more revenue.
WWE’s main home in the Middle East is Saudi Arabia’s capital, Riyadh, where WWE hosts their annual pay-per-view, the Crown Jewel. As a new move, WWE has announced the arrival of WWE Experience, an immersive and interactive experience that showcases the WWE careers of legends such as The Undertaker.
What is WWE Experience opening during Riyadh Season?
The WWE Experience is a new attraction that was announced at the WWE Crown Jewel 2023, a pay-per-view event that took place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on November 4, 2023.
Today, on Twitter, the chief content officer of WWE, Triple H, revealed a small clip featuring the famous gimmick of The Undertaker, the graveyard. He added, “Here’s an exclusive first look at the amazing @Undertaker’s Graveyard Escape at the WWE Experience in Riyadh, opening Feb. 16.”
Triple H shared an exclusive first look at the attraction, which showed a spooky and realistic graveyard setting, with lighting and sound effects. The WWE Experience is featured in the annual entertainment and sports festival, the Riyadh Season, located at Blvd City, that runs from October to March
WWE fans will also be able to purchase official WWE merchandise and discover exclusive items that are exclusively accessible at the WWE Experience. The fans can also witness the recorded shows of WWE and memorable matches of WWE, such as WrestleMania and Royal Rumble.
WWE and Saudi Arabia’s deal details
In 2018, WWE officially announced their long-term partnership with Saudi Arabia to host two premium live events in the kingdom each year. The deal was confirmed by the former chairman of WWE, Vince McMahon, who recently resigned from all his positions in WWE, due to an ongoing sexual assault lawsuit.
The deal was confirmed with a huge amount, as the Saudi Arabian nation has paid a whopping $1 billion for a 10-year deal. The deal was extended in 2019 and as per the reports, the deal is worth $45 million per year. This was a huge price, as it overtook the earnings from the WWE’s flagship show, WrestleMania.
Despite the financial and creative benefits of the deal, WWE has also faced a lot of backlash and criticism for its partnership with Saudi Arabia. The human rights situation in Saudi Arabia has been accused of violating the rights of women, minorities, dissidents, and journalists. The most notable incident was in 2019, when several wrestlers and crew members were stranded at the airport for hours, due to a dispute between WWE and the Saudi government.
WWE’s deal with Saudi Arabia is set to continue until 2027 and WWE has stated that it is committed to its partnership with Saudi Arabia and that it hopes to bring positive change and entertainment to the country and the region.
