Opinion: WWE and their biggest challenge for the next decade
Disclaimer: The views expressed in the article are that of the writer does not represent Sportskeeda's stance on the same.
Following the Greatest Royal Rumble this past April, the show has been lambasted in the media, following the murder of Journalist Jamal Khashoggi, allegedly on the orders of the Saudi government
It is a truly horrific time, and the WWE's continuation of their ten-year deal with the nation has brought the company under scrutiny, with many expecting (now obviously, in vain) for the show to be postponed, moved or cancelled.
But with the decade-long deal between the WWE and KSA still relatively new, it's a sad truth: WWE will face the fallout of this deal for a long, long time.
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Already we have seen how bad things can get, with US Senators across both major parties, being vocal in their condemnation for the show.
Inside the company, two of their biggest stars have pulled out, with John Cena being removed from the WWE World Cup Tournament, and Daniel Bryan being replaced by Samoa Joe in the show's WWE Championship match.
One can only imagine how this will affect their futures with the WWE, and whilst Cena is practically untouchable as a part-timer, Bryan only recently returned from retirement, and could easily be released in the not so distant future.
And Cena and Bryan aren't the only two Superstars with hesitations ongoing, as reports have suggested that over half the Superstars don't want to attend, but will tow the line, though I can't imagine the company wants to be seen as the promotion that forces their talent to go to unsafe, unethical environments.
The WWE have admittedly defended themselves, claiming that they will bring western influences to the nation, which still treat many as second-class citizens despite their wealth.
Who knows, maybe they will be a force for good. Maybe by the end of this deal, the WWE will indeed have changed Saudi Arabia for the better, and those opponents to the deal being fools with the proverbial egg on their face.
But for now, if WWE continues to promote themselves as a harbinger of change in the Middle East, they should prepare to have this cycle of bad publicity repeat itself over and over again, for the next ten years. For any good cause, there is always a price to pay.