WWE President defends price hikes as part of a deliberate scarcity strategy following TKO merger
Summary
– WWE ticket prices have risen 60% from 2024 to 2025
– Nick Khan says the increase reflects high demand and limited live events
– WWE’s new touring model aims to drive record-breaking gates and global growth
WWE fans have noticed the steep rise in ticket prices throughout 2025, but according to WWE President Nick Khan, it’s no accident. Speaking during TKO’s Third Quarter Financials Call, Khan addressed criticism over the growing costs of attending WWE events and confirmed that the strategy is intentional.
“It’s both,” Khan said when asked if higher revenue came from prices or attendance. “Capacity continues to be very high. We’ve increased prices appropriately with the marketplace. That’s for the PLEs, Raw, SmackDown, Saturday Night’s Main Event, and every other ticketed program that WWE has. We remain bullish on it.”
Khan credited the pricing model to changes made after the TKO merger. WWE reduced the number of non-televised live events, creating scarcity that increased demand for its televised shows. “One of the first things we collectively did was reduce the non-televised live events, which created more scarcity in the marketplace,” Khan explained. “Our continued international expansion only furthered that.”
The company’s upcoming European tour for Raw and SmackDown is already showing strong ticket sales ahead of the Royal Rumble in Saudi Arabia. “Tickets already on fire for that event, and it creates more scarcity in the United States, which is a good thing in terms of our overall gauge,” Khan added.
Industry metrics support his optimism. Average ticket prices for WWE’s North American TV events are up roughly 60% compared to last year, but attendance remains strong. WrestleTix data shows WWE averaging 11,500 tickets distributed per Raw and SmackDown, while Pollstar reports an average of 12,200 tickets sold per show. Combined with a $31.4 million boost in live events and hospitality revenue over the past year, the results suggest WWE’s scarcity model is paying off.
