In a recent revelation, it has come to light that WWE‘s monumental agreement with Indianapolis encompasses not only the hosting of Royal Rumble, SummerSlam, and WrestleMania premium live events but also extends to regular shows such as Raw, SmackDown, NXT, and other live events.
Dave Meltzer, in the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, shed light on the comprehensive nature of this deal. Meltzer’s report outlined the expansive scope of WWE’s agreement with Indianapolis, which goes beyond the staging of major events. The deal is set to incorporate regular shows in various locations across the state, including Fort Wayne and Evansville, effectively amplifying WWE’s footprint in Indiana.
The official first date of the deal is the 2025 Royal Rumble on 2/1. Both the WrestleMania and SummerSlam events will be two shows, so whether the first two-day SummerSlam is in 2025 or 2026 (already announced as a two-day event in Minneapolis), this does show the plan is two-nights for both shows going forward.
The deal, which runs from 2025 to 2032, is not just for the three events, as the state will be paying WWE to run Raw, Smackdown, NXT and other live events as part of the deal in both Indianapolis a well as throughout the state of Indiana including regular shows in Fort Wayne and Evansville.
When Did WWE Announce Its Deal With Indianapolis?
WWE announced that it had come to a deal with the city of Indianapolis to host the Royal Rumble, SummerSlam and WrestleMania events on June 24th, 2024. It is estimated that the three events will generate a combined of $300 million for the city.