WWE Crown Jewel Premium Live Event in Saudi Arabia

There was a lot of talk over the summer about the Saudi Pro League.

While it wasn’t taken very seriously at the beginning – with a few people cheekily referring to it as a “retirement league” for big-time players – it began dominating headlines during August and September, as it spent more than $1 billion to get some of the biggest stars in the game.

With the FIFA World Cup also seemingly under its belt, as well as a number of other sporting events still to play out before the end of the year, Saudi Arabia is now taken very seriously, and it’s about to become something of a Middle-Eastern sport hub.

But while a lot of people point to football or F1 as examples of Saudi Arabia’s top-notch sporting strategy, one of the most significant sporting tournaments for the country has to be the WWE Crown Jewel.

For those unaware, the WWE Crown Jewel is an exclusively Saudi Arabian event, held annually in October or November, and it’s part of the 10-year partnership in support of Saudi Vision 2030. In the context of Saudi Vision 2030, it could also be the most important.

Saudi Vision 2030

Saudi Arabia is a changing country. This is exemplified in a number of industries, not least the gaming industry, where Saudi Arabia invested $8 billion in the last year alone.

It is even working its way up the ranks of the iGaming market. Despite online gambling still not being permitted in every Middle-Eastern region – the situation is a little like the US, where only seven states have legalised the practice, and yet the market share is around $3 billion – a number of the most recommended online casinos in Saudi Arabia are rapidly growing their customer base.

All of this investment comes back to Saudi Vision 2030. This is a historic vision that is based around three themes: a thriving economy, a vibrant society, and an ambitious nation. Saudi Arabia is attempting to achieve that through gaming, through clean tech, through cosmetics, and yes, most importantly, through sport.

The WWE Crown Jewel came to the country when it needed it most. Starting in 2018, this is a PPV and WWE Network event held across the biggest stadiums in Saudi Arabia, designed to introduce more Saudi Arabians to the sport, while also putting the spotlight on Saudi Arabia for everyone watching around the world.

WWE Crown Jewel Explained

As mentioned before, the WWE Crown Jewel is a deal agreed between the Ministry of Sport and Saudi Vision 2030, in conjunction with the new social and economic reform program. To give you a little run-down of the history, the first event was held at the famous and awe-inspiring King Abdullah International Stadium in April, 2018, with a follow-up event held later in the year on November 2nd.

The second official Crown Jewel event was held at the King Fahd International Stadium in October, 2019. The third event was planned for late 2020, but due to COVID-19 regulations, it was postponed to 2021, where it took place in the Mohammed Abdu Arena. This was also the first Crown Jewel to be released on Peacock’s WWE Network channel, reaching over 30 million paid subscribers.

In 2022, the event was held at Mrsool Park, and the most recent 2023 event was held in the Mohammed Abdu Arena – the second time it was held at the infamous venue.

There have been several sporting stories to come out of the WWE Crown Jewel already, with some of the most riveting including stars like Shawn Michaels, Brock Lesnar, Logan Paul, “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt, and the legendary John Cena in 2023.

Saudi Arabia’s Sporting Future

The reason a tournament like this is so important for Saudi Arabia is because of WWE’s status around the world. According to recent statistics, WWE has a market cap of nearly $10 billion, and with arenas selling out, PPV events being watched globally, and the launch of WWE Network, it is set to become one of the most popular sports of all time over the next decade or so.

Saudi Arabia is now a crucial part of WWE’s story, and, consequently, WWE is a big part of Saudi Arabia’s. Each event experiences a packed out stadium, dramatic fights, and a whole lot of online buzz, so as far as partnerships go, it has definitely been a knockout. And it’s another reason why we can expect to see Saudi Arabia at the top of the sporting tree in the near future.