The Reason Some Fans Think WWE Was Better Under Vince McMahon Than TKO

Since Vince McMahon became completely unaffiliated with WWE, the audience has been pleased with the company's creative direction, which they felt improved under Triple H's supervision, but outside of the on-screen product, fans have admittedly missed parts of the former WWE chairman's tenure. Along with Triple H taking over as head of creative, TKO Group Holdings became the proud owners of both the WWE and UFC, and though McMahon was no longer control, fans couldn't help but notice a glaring issue that arose under the new management.

Throughout the last year, WWE ticket prices have reached an all-time high, with TKO deciding to implement UFC's ticket price strategy of using a dynamic pricing model, where the price increases as demand increases. Additionally, last year TKO's Chief Operating Officer Mark Shapiro announced that WWE would be significantly scaling back on non-televised live events, stating that many of the shows in smaller towns were not making enough money. However, McMahon often used live shows to grow WWE's audience in smaller markets while making each event accessible for families to attend at a reasonable price. Today, along with WWE's weekly programming, the only non-televised events available are conducted in larger markets, making it unaffordable for many middle to lower class families to watch a wrestling show live. 

Furthermore, last week Shapiro stated that WWE still hasn't reached UFC's level when it comes to ticket prices and still needs to maximize more opportunity in the space, unlike McMahon, who he feels was "primarily pricing tickets for families." Shapiro's comments frustrated WWE fans, who defended the former WWE boss for making professional wrestling an affordable product to see live, regardless of creative decisions or McMahon's controversies, like the Janel Grant lawsuit. Moreover, Shaprio's remark about McMahon comes just weeks ahead of WWE Wrestlepalooza, with the cheapest ticket for the event currently being priced at $192 before fees.

Shapiro's desire to continue to raise prices for WWE's weekly programming and cut down on live events has led fans to question if the company would be better off with McMahon at the helm again. In addition, TKO's constant sponsorship integration on WWE's ring mats, barricades, tables and announces desks during programs such as "WWE Raw" or "WWE SmackDown" have continued to garner criticism from both fans and wrestlers alike. Although McMahon was never shy to host sponsored matchups, many feel that he would've refused to incorporate any branding on the ring mat, which is often viewed as the most sacred ground in professional wrestling.

Prices have not only increased for fans attending WWE events, but also for those watching at home, as viewers in the United States are required to be a subscriber to Netflix as well as USA Network on cable in order to watch the promotion's weekly shows. Earlier this year, the current price of WWE's tickets drew the attention of one of the company's biggest stars when Randy Orton discovered that a floor seat at WrestleMania 41 cost $30,000. This prompted "The Viper" to call the price "embarrassing" and couldn't believe fans had to pay that much for a single seat. Going forward, it remains to be seen if WWE can still sellout events heading into 2026 with ticket prices increasing, or if fans will finally say enough is enough and gradually decide to stop attending shows completely.