Real Reason WWE Is Cutting Back On House Shows
Fewer dates mean more time off for wrestlers... but also less pay.
WWE is currently in the process of transforming its house show schedule by dialling back on the number of live events it produces in a major way, with the company's legendarily gruelling road schedule looking lighter than it has in years at the moment.
This is a double-edged sword, as while this means more down periods for wrestlers to heal their bodies and spend time with their families, it also means they'll be earning less money by missing out on live event bonuses. One would hope that this loss of earnings would be compensated for in future contract negotiations, though.
Dave Meltzer outlined the reasons behind the changes in the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter, stating that continued declines in live event attendances and revenues have led to lower stock prices and created a perception that WWE's popularity falling. Thus, they're switching things up, seemingly hoping that fans will be drawn back to the shows once the market is less saturated. Basic supply and demand economics.
WWE's latest set of financial results come out this Friday (7 February), so it'll be interesting to see if they show a continued slide in these failing business metrics.