Nick Khan provides an update on a potential upcoming major WWE event in India.
WWE has a massive fan base in India and, prior to the COVID pandemic, had major plans to expand into the Indian market with the inclusion of an NXT India brand. In January 2021, WWE hosted Superstar Spectacle, an event catered specifically to the Indian market that was held inside the WWE ThunderDome in Florida.
Now, Nick Khan has stated on the Q4 2022 WWE financial earnings call that they are waiting for the merger of Zee and Sony India to go through. Once the merger has been completed, WWE plans to host a large-scale live event in India.
“In terms of India, allow me to tell you, from our perspective, what’s going on there and what will go on there. We’re waiting for the Zee-Sony India merger to be approved by the regulatory authorities," said Khan. "The hope is in April. Keep in mind what you already know. COVID stunted our growth opportunities in India and a number of places, but in India specifically, where I would say it was almost impossible to travel in and out of. We couldn’t do local events there. So as soon as we have a sense of when the regulatory approval happens on Zee and Sony India, look for a big live event in India. The best way to grow viewership, and I think we’re seeing it proven out with our UK shows, with the upcoming Montreal show, and in other markets, is to have live events there. It’s a much easier sale for our partners with their partners. It’s a much easier sale for us with potential partners, when they’ve been to the show, and they see the power of it. It’s just a smoother path. So as soon as that transaction is approved, look for us to be there in short order and to start continuing to build that empire in India."
There were reported plans for a large-scale WWE event in India in January 2023. However, those plans never came to fruition.
WWE will be presenting a live Premium Live Event in the United Kingdom as the WWE Money in the Bank pay-per-view will be presented from London, England, for the first time ever.
Fans can see a breakdown of WWE's full-year earnings for 2022 at this link.
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