By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
WWE issued the following press release on Monday to announce the expansion of their live event partnership with Saudi General Entertainment Authority.
STAMFORD, CONN. and RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA, November 4, 2019 – Following the historic Crown Jewel event in Riyadh, WWE (NYSE: WWE) and the Saudi General Entertainment Authority (GEA) have expanded their live event partnership through 2027 to include a second annual large-scale event. WWE and GEA also continue to work towards the completion of a media agreement in the MENA region.
This long-term partnership demonstrates WWE and GEA’s commitment to bring sports entertainment to the region and supports Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.
Powell’s POV: It’s astonishing that this press release was issued today given the events that unfolded at and coming out of WWE Crown Jewel. I am now officially convinced that if Vince McMahon would run a WWE event in Hell if it paid well. I wonder what changed since Thursday when WWE Co-Presidents George Barrios and Michelle Wilson were hesitant to comment on future WWE events in Saudi Arabia shortly before the Crown Jewel event took place.
The change was probably $$$$$$$.
Got to fund that future colossal failure of a football league, after all.
It’s a joke. I was hoping the travel issues would put an end to this (I’m with Daniel Bryan and John Cena on their boycott) but per what you said, Jason, Vince will run anywhere if he makes a profit out of it – no matter what the cost including a failed storyline or bomb of a show and won’t get the message over it and get a new set of bookers and retire. I’m hoping he’ll get it eventually if AEW get their act together – just like he got it during the Monday Night Wars.
I don’t see what actually changed with there partnership. Same length, terms. Looks like PR dressing up the same up the last deal in a pretty new press release.
They officially committed to the second annual show. Even though they’ve been doing two, it doesn’t seem like that was actually locked for future years in until now.
But but but, the internet told me that everyone was held hostage because the Saudi’s refuse to pay Vince. How can this be???????