Folks, let me tell you, it’s yuge. Absolutely tremendous news coming out of the wrestling world! WrestleMania 40, the granddaddy of them all, has shattered records left, right, and center. This is not just a win, it’s a landslide victory, the likes of which we haven’t seen since the days of Hulkamania. Believe me, the numbers are in, and they’re bigger than my latest round of golf scores.
According to our friends over at Wrestlenomics, Night Two of WrestleMania 40 set a pro wrestling record for the largest gate for a single-day event, raking in a staggering $18.4 million. Night One wasn’t far behind, sitting pretty in second place with a cool $17.7 million. That’s right, folks, a one-two punch that even Rocky Balboa would be proud of. Philadelphia, you did it again!
Now, when you add up those ticket fees (because let’s be real, nothing in life is free), both nights of this wrestling extravaganza brought in a jaw-dropping total of $38.5 million. To put that into perspective, that’s 78% higher than the previous year. WrestleMania 39? Pfft, chump change at $21.6 million. California, better luck next time.
But wait, there’s more! The go-home “SmackDown” episode, which aired the day before Night One, drew a $2 million gate. NXT Stand & Deliver on Saturday and “Raw” on Monday weren’t slouches either, pulling in $1.1 million and $2.2 million, respectively. That’s a whole lot of body slams and suplexes, folks.
And in case you’re wondering, WWE chief content officer Triple H confirmed that the “Raw” and “SmackDown” gates were the highest in the history of both shows. SmackDown’s record, however, was short-lived, because it got smacked down (pun totally intended) by the episode held in Lyon, France. France, you sneaky devils!
So there you have it, folks. WrestleMania 40 was a monumental success, a veritable cash cow, and Philadelphia is now officially on the map for more than just cheesesteaks and the Liberty Bell. The WWE juggernaut rolls on, breaking records and making history. Believe me, this is just the beginning. Yuge things are coming!