A new report on the revenue garnered from this year’s WWE Royal Rumble event.
This year’s Royal Rumble took place on Saturday, January 28 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas with WWE announcing an attendance of 51,338 members of the WWE Universe and a generated gate of $7.7 million.
A new report from Brandon Thurston of Wrestlenomics sheds more light on the revenue generated from this year’s Royal Rumble, embellished statistics, and why it is still a victory overall for WWE.
According to the report by Thurston, WWE sold 44,569 tickets, generating $7.3 million in net ticket sales revenue. Additionally, ticket audit records indicate that over 2,000 fans were giving tickets for free with 42,928 tickets being scanned at the venue.
Additionally, Thurston’s report shares correspondence between wWE personnel and Alamodome staff. With WWE’s Director of TV Event Relations noting that WWE was looking to count everyone in the venue “with a heartbeat” as part of the attendance figure.
WWE Director of TV Event Relations (Wed. 25 Jan, 6:55 PM CT):
Hello all, Gathering up all the pertinent information for WWE TV attendance figure for the TV broadcast on Saturday. This is an “asses in the venue” number. If you have a heartbeat we count you.
Therefore, looking for the following information:
1. Total suite capacity for the venue. This would include standing room in the suites and any killed suites on the south end.
2. Total venue staffing number for the venue on site for the show. This would be everyone…venue staff, operations, housekeeping, concessions, security, parking, etc.
Don’t need an answer right now but will need it before Saturday.
Alamodome Event Services Manager (Wed, 25 Jan, 7:06 PM CT):
RE: Royal Rumble total attendance (including staffing) request
We will work on this and have it to you by Friday.
Alamodome Box Officer Manager (Thu, 26 Jan, 1:26 PM CT):
I can speak for the Suite portion of this question…
With suites 1-8 and 45-52 not in use, and the Press Box not being used for Ticketed Patrons (which we do sometimes do for concerts like Elton John and Bad Bunny), the total Suite capacity including SRO’s for Saturday is 694 persons.
WWE Director of TV Event Relations (Thu, 26 Jan, 1:35 PM CT):
What would the total capacity be if suites 1-8 and 45-52 and the press box were fully ticketed?
Alamodome Box Office Manager (Thu, 26 Jan, 1:40 PM CT):
Press box would be 130 and the 8 suites combined including SRO’s would be another 318 persons (130 + 318)
WWE Director of TV Event Relations (Fri, 27 Jan, 10:05 PM CT):
Any update on the total venue staff number for tomorrow’s show for our TV attendance figure?
Alamodome Event Services Manager (Sat, 28 Jan, 6:59 AM CT):
Total number 725 do u need breakdown?
WWE Director of TV Event Relations (Sat, 28 Jan, 7:41 AM CT):
This seems very low. Does this include everyone? Concessions? parking? security? Housekeeping? Ops? Anyone with a heartbeat.
Alamodome Event Services Manager (Sat, 28 Jan, 7:45 AM CT):
Let me check again when all managers arrive. Will get back to you around 9:30am.
Alamodome Event Services Manager (Sat, Jan 28, 7:19 PM CT):
As we discussed earlier the revised number with Traffic, SAPD, Pritchard is 1,280.
This year’s Royal Rumble was a record-setting success, even setting aside the embellished attendance figure reported by WWE. Even if the gate only amounts to 7.3 million, this year’s Royal Rumble ranks among wrestling history’s most lucrative non-WrestleMania ticketed events.
Also, this year’s Royal Rumble’s ticket revenues are more than $2 million greater than the 2017 Royal Rumble event held inside the Alamodome.
SEE MORE: WWE Royal Rumble 2023 Sets All-Time Gate And Viewership Records
