WWE Ticket Price Claim Debunked by TKO’s Mark Shapiro’s Own Words

If you’ve been hoping WWE tickets would finally get cheaper, don’t hold your breath. TKO President Mark Shapiro has already made it clear — not only are prices staying high, they’re likely going even higher.

During the Goldman Sachs Communacopia + Technology Conference last month, Shapiro broke down WWE’s live event pricing strategy and made one thing very clear: the company isn’t close to its ceiling when it comes to profitability per fan. And unlike UFC, WWE still has room to grow — and they’re planning to do exactly that.

“WWE is not where the UFC is yet, as you know, on ticket yield. We have our work to do there,” Shapiro explained. “But we’ve seen a meaningful increase, you know, as evidenced by the 59% margin we did second quarter with regard to EBITDA margin, which was equal to the UFC. That ticket yield and site fees [are] playing a big part driving that. And we know we have more room to go.”

He even pointed to UFC’s recent record-breaking gate in Chicago as proof that WWE can push harder:

“UFC is breaking records everywhere they go. The last numbered fight in Chicago was the highest grossing event in the history of the United Center, dating back through the Michael Jordan days… And they’re already at the table trying to get another fight for next year.”

So what’s been holding WWE back from tapping into that same level of revenue? According to Shapiro, it all comes down to the way Vince McMahon handled pricing in the past.

“Vince McMahon was primarily pricing tickets for families and wasn’t totally focused on maxing the opportunity there.”

That message directly contradicts a recent report by Wrestling Observer Newsletter’s Dave Meltzer, who claimed in his October 17, 2025 issue that advances are going down — signaling the end of the boom period — and that WWE may reduce pricing to compensate. Meltzer also suggested that layoffs and AI integration could follow if Silver Lake overreacts to any downturn.

But Shapiro’s own words — spoken before Meltzer’s report — flat-out debunk those claims. Ticket pricing isn’t tied to TKO’s debt load or fear of a slump. Shapiro addressed that back in May at the JP Morgan Conference:

“Dynamic pricing, yield management, and expanding margins—not paying down debt.”

There’s no rollback coming. WWE is leaning into premium pricing, not pulling away from it. The reality is simple: WWE’s business is booming, and TKO wants every seat to earn top dollar.

With that in mind, fans may want to brace themselves — the next time you try to grab front row for a PLE, your wallet’s going to feel it.