WWE are not trying to steal AEW’s thunder.
Following the announcement that WWE would be making their way to Berlin in August 2024 to host a show in Germany for the first time ever, some fans questioned the choice of date.
As Bash in Berlin will be taking place on August 31st, this also happens to be one week after AEW All In, which will take place inside Wembley Stadium in London, UK. With tickets yet to go on sale for either event, it has been speculated that WWE has done this so European fans will have to choose between events, possibly to the detriment of All In ticket sales.
When asked about this on Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer stated that the decision of the choice of date was not made to directly compete with All In as the location of Bash at Berlin due to the difference in venue sizes:
I don’t think that was the primary reason, but I do think that it is, you know, I mean, it’s there. I think that it’s a secondary reason, probably, you know, to keep Germans from, you know, being so apt to go to that show. But I don’t think that they sat there and went we’re gonna run it, because if they were going to do that they would have done it the week before if they were going to really try to screw with the AEW show.
But you know, that becomes bad because if they did that, like, they’re going to do whatever it is, you know, 13-14,000, you know, in Berlin, because it’s not a stadium, that’s all they can do. And AEW is probably, you know, gonna draw more than that, a lot more. You know, maybe not a lot more but more and possibly a whole lot more.
But, you know, the comparison I guess, if you’re gonna do the same weekend does not favour WWE because they didn’t book a stadium for Germany, which I don’t know why, but they didn’t, whatever it was, their decision was is that they, are probably not gonna draw stadium crowd. Maybe they’re right, maybe they’re wrong. But we’ll never know.
WWE May Return To Europe Again In 2024
While European fans look to be spoilt for choice with two major wrestling shows already confirmed next year, there are talks that at least one more will be added. With Backlash taking place in Puerto Rico in 2023, it is being reported that the event will be held overseas once again in 2024 as WWE has a second European Supershow planned.
If you use any quotes from this article please credit Wrestling Observer Radio and leave a h/t to Inside The Ropes.