WWE Crown Jewel is still on for Saudi Arabia, at least for now. TKO executive chair and CEO Ari Emanuel says the November 7 show remains set for Riyadh, but the company is monitoring the situation every day and is already looking at where the event could be moved if things get worse.
During an appearance on Fox News, Bret Baier asked Emanuel directly whether Crown Jewel would still happen amid the escalating security situation in Saudi Arabia. Emanuel said nothing has been canceled at this point.
“Right now, everything’s still set. This weekend coming up in Abu Dhabi, we have a UFC fight. We have in the middle of November a Frieze art show. So far, so good. Nothing’s been canceled.”
That doesn’t mean TKO is simply crossing its fingers and hoping everything works out. When Baier asked whether Emanuel was receiving government briefings and if there was a point where TKO could pull the show, Emanuel revealed that the company has an entire team working on the situation.
“Yeah, we have a whole team kind of working on this, and kind of when—and if that doesn’t happen, where we can move it. It’s a daily monitoring.”
That last part is especially interesting because it’s the first clear indication that TKO is looking at backup options for Crown Jewel. Emanuel didn’t reveal any potential alternate locations, and he didn’t say that WWE has decided to move the event, only that the company is considering where it could go if Riyadh becomes unworkable.
The update comes as travel into Saudi Arabia has become a much bigger concern. The U.S. Embassy in Riyadh issued a security alert on October 22 warning Americans to use “extreme caution” at Saudi airports amid attacks by the Iran-backed Houthis.
King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh also remains shut down, according to the latest Embassy alert. Airports in Jeddah and Dammam are still operating, although both have been dealing with delays and cancellations.
“Operations at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh remain suspended. King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah and King Fahd International Airport in Dammam are operational with some delays and cancellations.”
The Embassy has also warned about the possibility of additional attacks on airports, airspace closures and sudden flight cancellations. U.S. government employees working in Saudi Arabia currently need special authorization to use any airport in the country.
Despite all of that, WWE hasn’t pulled the plug on Crown Jewel. Emanuel’s comments make it clear that Riyadh remains Plan A for November 7, but TKO isn’t going into the next two weeks without a Plan B either.
For now, Crown Jewel is staying exactly where WWE planned it, but that could change quickly depending on what happens in Saudi Arabia. With TKO checking the situation daily and already looking at possible alternatives, the company appears to be preparing for the possibility that a last-minute move could become necessary.
What do you think about TKO already looking at possible backup locations for WWE Crown Jewel while keeping the Riyadh show on for now? Let us know in the comments below.
