WWE looking to make major change to premium live events - Reports
WWE has booked 2024 as one of their biggest years for premium live events. The company is just weeks away from WrestleMania XL, and a potential major change has been revealed.
In early 2022, WWE began calling its pay-per-views as premium live events. Since then, there has been a renewed focus on the spectacle of these events with upgrades such as more stadium shows and more international dates. The company continues to consider new ideas as they move forward into this new era with TKO Group Holdings.
Officials are now discussing a change to the PLE start times, according to PWInsider. The start time currently listed for WrestleMania 40 and Money in the Bank is 7 pm ET, and backstage sources have confirmed changes in the works.
It was noted that WWE is looking into potentially moving all domestic PLE to the earlier start time of 7 pm ET, as they did several years ago. However, no final decision has been made as of this week, and the situation was described as "an experiment in process currently."
It remains to be seen if the company changes NXT premium live events start times, too. The upcoming premium live event of the developmental brand is Stand & Deliver IV and it has a special start time of 12pm ET because Night One of WrestleMania XL kicks off a few hours later.
WWE to hold several international PLE in 2024
WWE currently has eight more premium live events on the official 2024 schedule. Five of those are for the main roster, and the rest are for NXT.
The company has seemingly focused on holding more international PLE this year, and as of now, they have four overseas events booked for the rest of this year. The next big return to Saudi Arabia and other special events are expected to be confirmed soon by officials.
The current confirmed World Wrestling Entertainment PLE schedule for 2024 is as follows:
- April 6: NXT Stand & Deliver in Philadelphia, PA
- April 6 & 7: WrestleMania 40 in Philadelphia, PA
- May 4: Backlash France in Décines-Charpieu, France
- May 26: NXT Battleground in Savannah, GA
- July 6: Money In the Bank in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- July 7: NXT Heatwave in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- August 3: SummerSlam in Cleveland, OH
- August 31: Bash In Berlin in Berlin, Germany