WWE is moving forward with its controversial decision to travel to Saudi Arabia for the upcoming Crown Jewel event. Despite an escalating geopolitical conflict in the region—which includes reported bombings at infrastructure sites like the Riyadh airport—the company remains committed to hosting the premium live event on November 7.
A new report from PWInsider has confirmed that WWE Crown plans will proceed despite the United States government issuing a strict Level 3 travel advisory, which recently prompted the State Department to order its diplomats to evacuate the country.
Current WWE Crown Jewel Plans
To streamline travel and ensure the roster can make the lengthy trip overseas, a major shakeup is coming to the weekly television schedule. According to Fightful Select, WWE plans to record the upcoming episode of Friday Night SmackDown on the exact same day as Monday Night RAW.
The report notes that the November 2 edition of RAW at the Barclays Center in New York will air at an earlier time of 6 p.m. ET, allowing the company to immediately tape SmackDown right after. Following the tour, the active roster will return to the United States for the November 9 broadcast in Greenville, South Carolina.
Insiders note that the immense logistical effort to keep the event on schedule despite the apparent security risks is heavily driven by financial motives. According to Dave Meltzer, parent company TKO is projected to secure massive quarterly profits ranging between $70 million and $90 million from its current Saudi Arabian agreements, which span across two UFC events and Crown Jewel, making this international live event a critical piece of the company’s financial year.
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