The Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports that WWE’s December 26th return to Madison Square Garden saw a lower than usual turnout from wrestling fans. The show generated a turnout of 11,900 which The Wrestling Observer calls, ‘The lowest turnout in recent memory.’ Despite advertising the return of John Cena and adding a huge NXT match in an attempt to generate fan interest, WWE’s return trip to Madison Square Garden fell well short of April 6th’s Ring of Honor/New Japan Pro-Wrestling show, which sold out in minutes months before the actual show. The Observer also notes that WWE did not announce a return to Madison Square Garden, which is something that the company usually does at live events, in hopes of encouraging ticket sales for the usually inevitable return.
Apparently, WWE’s Chicago return did not fare well either. According to The Observer, Chicago’s December 26th All State Arena show drew a mere 6,000 people, despite usually drawing 10,000 ‘even in bad times.’ Many of the fans reportedly left after the Daniel Bryan vs Mustafa Ali vs The Miz Triple Threat steel cage match and did not stick around for the main event: Asuka vs Becky Lynch vs Charlotte Flair. The Observer adds that this is despite the fact that women closing major house shows hasn’t been done in more than 30 years.
In regards to WWE’s lackluster live show sales, The Observer notes, “There is a real issue going on that was worse than imagined.”
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