All Elite Wrestling’s (AEW) first UK pay-per-view event, AEW Dynamite: Grand Slam, took place at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York in September 2021. The event was a huge success, selling out the 20,000 capacity venue in under 30 minutes. On the back of this success, AEW announced they would be running a pay-per-view event at London’s Wembley Stadium in 2023.
Wembley Stadium is the biggest stadium in the UK, with a capacity of 90,000. If AEW manages to sell out the venue, it will be a historic milestone for the company and professional wrestling in general. However, some are questioning whether AEW can really sell out such a massive stadium so early in the company’s lifespan.
In this article, we’ll analyze several factors to determine if AEW can realistically sell out Wembley Stadium for their 2023 pay-per-view.
AEW’s Momentum
Despite only launching in 2019, AEW has quickly established itself as a major player in the wrestling industry. The company is backed by billionaire owner Tony Khan and has secured a lucrative TV deal with WarnerMedia.
In their short history, AEW has already built up an impressive fanbase thanks to factors like:
Focus on wrestling quality
AEW places more emphasis on in-ring action and gives wrestlers greater creative freedom compared to rival WWE. The matches are fast paced, hard hitting, and showcase some of the best talent in the business.
Engaging storylines
The storylines and character development in AEW have been praised for being more logical, coherent, and engaging than WWE’s recent output. Big story arcs like the three-year build to Kenny Omega vs Hangman Page kept fans invested.
Established stars and fresh talent
AEW has secured big names like CM Punk, Bryan Danielson, Chris Jericho, and Jon Moxley to appeal to established fans, while also elevating young stars like MJF, Jungle Boy, and Britt Baker. This mix of veterans and rising talent keeps shows feeling fresh.
Innovative production
Matches on AEW Dynamite regularly garner praise for their innovativecamera work, realistic pacing, and sports-like presentation – giving them a different feel to the glossy style of WWE programming.
Thanks to factors like these, AEW pay-per-views have drawn increasingly high buyrates showing their surging popularity:
| Event | Year | Buyrate |
|---|---|---|
| Double or Nothing | 2019 | 100,000 |
| All Out | 2020 | 120,000 |
| Revolution | 2022 | 145,000 |
This momentum suggests AEW is building their fanbase rapidly, which bodes well for selling out a huge venue like Wembley.
AEW’s Growing UK Popularity
While AEW is surging in popularity in the US, the UK has always been a strong market for the company. WWE has traditionally dominated wrestling in Britain, but AEW has made serious inroads.
When AEW launched, they quickly secured a TV deal with ITV to air Dynamite in the UK. Since then, they’ve ramped up efforts to grow their British fanbase:
- In 2021, AEW held their first UK live event in Manchester, selling out the arena.
- They signed popular UK talents like Will Ospreay to boost local interest.
- Britt Baker and MJF have made appearances on UK panel shows to expand awareness.
- Chris Jericho’s rock band Fozzy has toured the UK, furthering the AEW connection.
These efforts seem to be working, as social media engagement and ticket sales have surged for AEW in Britain. For example, their August 2022 show at London’s O2 Arena sold out rapidly.
The UK is now AEW’s largest international market and British fans will likely make up a significant portion of the Wembley audience. Capitalizing on their momentum in the region is wise for maximizing Wembley ticket sales.
Comparison to Major UK Events
While selling out Wembley would be groundbreaking for wrestling, it’s important to note that several other entertainment events attract similar sized crowds in the UK on a regular basis.
For example:
| Event | Venue | Attendance |
|---|---|---|
| Ed Sheeran Concerts | Wembley Stadium | 90,000 (3 nights) |
| UEFA Euro 2020 Final | Wembley Stadium | 87,192 |
| British Summer Time Festival | Hyde Park | 65,000 (per day) |
This demonstrates that British audiences have an appetite for huge live spectacles, which bodes well for AEW’s changes. Sports and music events show that booking Wembley doesn’t require mainstream name value – the right event can sell out based on buzz and audience passion alone.
Potential Concerns
Despite AEW’s surging momentum, there are some factors that could hamper their ability to sell 90,000 Wembley tickets:
Their UK popularity still trails WWE
Although growing rapidly, AEW still has a way to go before matching WWE’s mainstream recognition in Britain. WWE has been touring the UK for decades, while many casual fans still have limited awareness of AEW. This could restrict the box office potential.
Wrestling’s niche status
Wrestling undeniably has a passionate fanbase, but it remains a fairly niche interest in the wider culture. Persuading mainstream sports/music fans to buy tickets may prove difficult.
Ticket pricing issues
WWE’s UK events have sometimes struggled due to excessively high ticket prices. AEW will need to price sensitively to ensure affordability while still making a profit.
Potential timing issues
If the event takes place at the same time as a major music festival or sporting event like the World Cup, it may struggle to compete for attention and ticket sales.
Careful planning around these factors will be required for AEW to maximize attendance.
Conclusion
Selling out Wembley Stadium is certainly an ambitious goal for AEW, especially as they have only been in business for a few years. However, their surging momentum and growing UK popularity suggests they have a genuine chance of pulling it off.
Comparable attendance figures for other UK events bode well, as this demonstrates the country has a huge audience willing to support spectacles at major venues. That said, wrestling’s niche status and AEW’s still developing awareness are factors that could restrict ticket sales. Intelligent promotion and marketing will be essential.
The difficulty of the task for AEW should not be understated – selling 90,000 tickets would be a historic achievement. However, the company has proven its ability to rapidly gain popularity through delivering great wrestling shows for fans. If AEW can continue its current trajectory in the UK, Britain’s passionate wrestling fans may just help them sell out the nation’s most iconic stadium in 2023.