WWE house shows, also known as non-televised live events, are professional wrestling shows produced by WWE that are not broadcast on television. House shows allow WWE to bring live wrestling entertainment to cities and venues that do not host televised events. While house shows typically do not sell out like major pay-per-view events, there are several factors that determine whether a WWE house show will sell out or not.
Do all WWE house shows sell out?
No, not all WWE house shows sell out. While some shows in major markets do sell out quickly, many WWE house shows have empty seats. There are several reasons for this:
- House shows do not feature major storyline developments or title matches, so they are not “must see” events for fans.
- WWE runs multiple house shows per week, often visiting the same markets frequently. This can lead to fan fatigue.
- Venues used for house shows vary greatly in size. Some venues are very large and difficult to completely fill up.
- Tickets for house shows are usually cheaper than TV/pay-per-view events, so there is less ticket revenue motivation for WWE.
- Promotion for house shows is minimal compared to TV/pay-per-view events.
So while some of the most hardcore WWE fans may attend every event in their area, house shows do not have the same mainstream appeal or Match importance as major televised events.
What factors lead to a WWE house show selling out?
There are certain circumstances that can help drive a WWE house show to sell out, including:
- Star power – A house show is more likely to sell out if big name stars like John Cena, Brock Lesnar or Ronda Rousey are advertised to appear.
- Good location – Major markets like New York, Chicago and Los Angeles generally do better attendance than smaller towns.
- Holiday weekends – House shows around holidays like Christmas and 4th of July tend to draw more fans.
- Overseas tours – WWE’s tour events in Europe, Australia, Asia, etc. usually have high attendance as fans have less opportunities to attend.
- Smaller venues – Using arenas under 10,000 seats can help limit ticket availability and make shows appear full.
So while WWE runs hundreds of house shows per year worldwide, only a portion of those events actually achieve a sellout crowd. But under the right circumstances, there is still a demand for fans to attend live wrestling entertainment.
What percentage of WWE house shows sell out on average?
It’s difficult to determine an exact percentage, as WWE does not regularly report house show attendance figures publicly. However, based on the number of shows per year and general reports on attendance, it is likely that only 15-25% of WWE house shows sell out completely.
In 2019, WWE ran over 500 non-televised live event shows globally. If 20% of those shows were true sellouts, that would mean around 100 WWE house shows selling out that year. The percentage can fluctuate year-to-year, but the limited availability of major stars and reliance on repeat markets likely keeps the sellout percentage low overall.
How has WWE house show attendance been trending?
By most accounts, attendance and revenue for WWE house shows has been on the decline over the past decade. WWE drew over 5 million total fans to shows in 2012, but that number had dropped to around 3.5 million by 2019. The COVID-19 pandemic severely disrupted live events and attendance in 2020 and 2021. Several factors have contributed to declining house show business:
- Increased touring schedule leading to oversaturation in some markets.
- Lack of major title matches or storyline developments at house shows.
- Rising prices for tickets, merchandise, etc. in a tough economy.
- Increased competition for entertainment time and dollars.
- Changes in talent roster appeal over the years.
WWE is hoping that the return of live touring after the pandemic will help stabilize or increase house show popularity. But the overall trend has been moving downward in recent years for non-televised events.
What are WWE’s biggest house show markets?
| Market | Average Attendance |
|---|---|
| New York City metro area | 8,000-15,000 |
| Philadelphia metro area | 8,000-12,000 |
| Chicago metro area | 5,000-10,000 |
| Los Angeles metro area | 4,000-8,000 |
| San Antonio, TX | 4,000-8,000 |
| Boston metro area | 4,000-7,500 |
WWE has established these northeastern and western US cities as reliable major markets for live events over many years. Places like Madison Square Garden in NYC and Staples Center in Los Angeles will typically draw well for WWE when available. Internationally, cities like Toronto, Melbourne, London, Mexico City, Tokyo and Manchester are also consistent large markets for WWE live events and tours.
Do PPV house shows sell better than non-PPV events?
Yes, WWE pay-per-view house shows generally have higher attendance and sell better than non-PPV events. This is primarily because PPV shows will feature championship matches, stipulation matches, and storyline developments that fans are willing to pay higher ticket prices for. Also, there are far fewer PPV events than weekly non-PPV shows throughout the year.
For example, WWE’s flagship event WrestleMania has sold out massive stadiums well in advance for many years. Other major PPVs like SummerSlam, Survivor Series and Royal Rumble sell out arena shows as “mini-WrestleManias”. Even lower-tier PPVs like Hell in a Cell can draw 10,000-15,000 fans based on the special nature of the matches. So the scarcity and uniqueness of PPV shows make them hot tickets compared to normal house shows.
Conclusion
In summary, WWE house shows do not universally sell out like the major televised events. Factors like star power, location, venue size, and touring frequency all contribute to fluctuating attendance. While hardcore fans in big markets may reliably attend house shows, not every event draws a capacity crowd. Pay-per-view shows perform better than weekly non-televised events in general. With changes in fan habits and the entertainment landscape, selling out house shows has become more challenging for WWE in recent years.