WWE reacts to a controversial production move at the Royal Rumble.
The 2026 WWE Royal Rumble took place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, this past Saturday. For the Premium Live Event, the venue was reportedly set up in a large open area, with the company also testing new production elements, including LED lighting installed on the seats.
The lights flickered during Superstar entrances. However, many fans online felt the addition had the opposite of its intended effect, saying it made the stadium appear emptier on television. Some even accused WWE of exaggerating the event’s attendance.
The online chatter appears to have made its way backstage, as WWE has now addressed the fan reaction to the venue’s presentation. According to PWInsider, the perception of empty sections was said to be a production issue, with the LED seat lighting specifically cited as the cause.
“For those who have asked about the look of emptiness of The Royal Rumble event last night, we are told that the setup for the LED lights actually made the venue look as if it wasn’t as full as it actually was,” the report stated.
WWE confirms 2026 Royal Rumble attendance
The report added that WWE internally confirmed 25,000 tickets were distributed for the Royal Rumble. Considering the issues, WWE does not plan to reuse the LED seat lighting for future Premium Live Events in Saudi Arabia.
“WWE sources indicated they had 25,000 tickets moved for the event but the LED lighting from the seats on the broadcast did not come across as well as it did live. One person noted that they did not expect to try that production element again when they return to Saudi Arabia.”
Additionally, the report mentioned a separate production error during the broadcast, when arena screens briefly displayed entry number 31 despite the Royal Rumble featuring the traditional 30 entrants, with Gunther officially entering last.
“There was also a production error during the live show where after #30 entered the Men’s Rumble, the graphic on the screens live in Riyadh automatically changed to listing a #31 entering. We are told that was just a byproduct of the program they were using for graphics.”
WrestleZone’s full coverage of WWE Royal Rumble is available here.
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