AEW Grand Slam: Australia Becomes Third-Highest Gate in Company History Despite Controversy

AEW’s debut in Australia may have been surrounded by backlash, but it turns out pricing tickets at pay-per-view rates worked out financially for the company.

Despite fan frustrations over the venue change and lack of refunds, AEW Grand Slam: Australia pulled in at least $1.3 million in ticket sales, making it the third-highest gate in AEW history.

The show, which was taped in Brisbane on Saturday before airing on TNT, was originally set for the 52,000-seat Suncorp Stadium. However, due to slow ticket sales, AEW quietly moved the event to the smaller Brisbane Entertainment Centre, leaving many premium ticket holders feeling misled. Tony Khan maintained that it was “always intended to be a TV special,” but the confusion over how the show was marketed left fans divided.

Speaking on Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer confirmed that despite the issues, the event was a financial success. “This was the third-biggest gate in the history of the company. I didn’t get the final number, but they were at $1.3 million, at least, on Thursday, two days ahead. For AEW, that’s fantastic,” Meltzer noted.

That being said, it wasn’t the stadium-level success AEW originally envisioned. Meltzer explained that AEW’s ability to sell out stadiums is still a work in progress, saying, “AEW is not a stadium product. You know, it really isn’t. Most wrestling companies aren’t stadium products.”

Looking ahead, AEW plans to return to Australia in 2026, but this time they’re expected to hit Melbourne or Sydney, where they could potentially draw even larger crowds. “I think that being established, they’ll at least be able to, you know… I think in those markets, you know, get 15,000 people, and it’s a big gate,” Meltzer speculated.

AEW Grand Slam: Australia may not have filled a stadium, but it still set a record for the biggest wrestling gate in Brisbane history. Whether fans will overlook the pricing drama and return for AEW’s next Australian event remains to be seen.

Do you think AEW made the right call by sticking to premium ticket prices despite moving venues? Let us know in the comments!