In the latest clash of titans, it’s not wrestlers but numbers that are throwing punches. Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter has stepped into the financial ring to challenge Forbes’ recent valuation of major combat sports promotions. And folks, he’s not pulling any punches!
Forbes dropped a bombshell earlier this week, slapping a $6.8 billion tag on WWE and a whopping $2 billion on AEW. But Meltzer? He’s waving the red flag, calling out these numbers as more fantasy than fact. According to him, WWE is being undervalued while AEW’s price tag is more pumped up than a superstar on a WrestleMania winning streak.
Digging into the details, Meltzer points out that TKO stock, which juggles assets of UFC and WWE, lists WWE’s value at a hefty $7.727 billion—nearly a billion more than Forbes’ estimate. As for AEW, despite its rapid growth and increasing revenues, it hasn’t yet turned a profit, making its $2 billion valuation look as sketchy as a heel’s tactics in a title match.
Meltzer crunched the numbers like a heavyweight champ, suggesting that if you apply WWE’s revenue multiplier to AEW, the fledgling promotion should be valued around $1 billion—half of what Forbes claims.
What’s fueling these financial fisticuffs? AEW’s yet-to-be-negotiated TV rights deal could be a game changer, but for now, Meltzer stands firm, defending his calculations and challenging the narrative.
So, as the wrestling world watches these financial heavyweights spar, one thing’s for sure: the battle over billions is just as fierce outside the ring as it is inside!