MVP Calls Out WWE for Pricing Out Families With High Ticket Costs

Fans were really concerned when Mark Shapiro recently confirmed that they would be increasing ticket prices for all WWE events eventually. Many people see this as a bad move and MVP has now called out WWE for pricing out families with their absurd ticket prices.

While speaking on the Inside the Ring podcast, MVP addressed concerns about the growing number of ads in WWE. He explained that there’s been a stronger focus on profit and corporate interests, often at the expense of the fans who helped build the company.

MVP compared the situation to other sports, noting that attending an NBA or NFL game used to be more affordable. He said that lately the cost of decent seats, food, and drinks can take a major portion of a family’s income.

“Yeah. I think… I’m weighing my words here because I want to make sure I say this the right way — I like to think before I speak, unlike most people. I think there’s been an emphasis on profit with the increasing corporatization of one side, without enough regard for the fans who helped make the company what it is. Sadly, that’s happening not just in wrestling.

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If you look at the NFL or the NBA, once upon a time you could take a family of four to a game. Now, with price hikes and the corporate suits, if you’re a father taking your kids to an NBA game — decent seats, four sodas, four popcorns — that’s a pretty substantial cut of your income.”

MVP stated that while wrestling is a creative art, it’s still a business, something he frequently discusses on Marking Out with MVP and Dwayne Sees. Ticket sales, television ratings, and pay-per-view buys are essential for the industry’s survival.

However, MVP questioned WWE’s drive to maximize profits to the point of pricing out longtime, grassroots fans. He pointed out that AEW remains focused on supporting those dedicated supporters.

“At AEW, we’re still very concerned about that grassroots fandom. At the end of the day, it’s all a business. I talk about it on Marking Out with MVP and Dwayne Sees all the time: professional wrestling is a business. You can have your artistry and creative vision, but you can’t forget that it’s the wrestling business.

If no one’s buying tickets, watching the TV show, or ordering pay-per-views — even that model is fading — then there’s no place for you to do what you want. So you have to remember the business aspect. However, I do question maximizing profit to the point where you price out those grassroots fans who have been there since day one.”

The debate over ticket prices isn’t only about money since it’s about what makes wrestling special. Wrestling has always been a sport and art form loved by working-class fans. If prices get too high, families and loyal supporters who have backed the industry for decades could feel left out. So it’s clear what MVP’s stance is and it’s no wonder why people are not supporting what WWE has been doing lately.

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