WWE’s business relationship with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has and will continue to be scrutinized for a variety of reasons, including but not limited to its abysmal human rights record. But the scrutiny has been more intense in the build-up to Crown Jewel tomorrow (Sat., Nov. 7) in Riyadh.
That’s because the war between Iran and Israel & the United States has escalated the existing conflict between Saudi forces and rebel fighters in neighboring Yemen. That’s resulted in several attacks on the Riyadh
airport, some of which have ended lives.
But WWE and parent company TKO insist they’re putting the safety of its employees and contractors ahead of the millions and possibly billions of dollars it stands to make from its Saudi partners. In some cases, they’re offered money to necessary staff who were understandably nervous about flying into a war zone.
Team WWE arrived in Riyadh today, and so far TKO president Mark Shapiro’s statement about their risks being “extremely minimal” are bearing out. That’s what Wrestling Observer’s Bryan Alvarez is hearing. He posted:
All the WWE talent is in Saudi now and things seem fine at the moment.
Alvarez also noted that Dana White’s Power Slap promotion has been in the KSA had also been there “all week and no issues.”
While the State Department is officially telling U.S. citizens to “reconsider” traveling to Saudi Arabia due to the attacks from forces in Yemen, and even evacuated some non-essential staff from its embassy in Riyadh, the official social media account from said embassy is “thrilled” Crown Jewel is happening as scheduled. The account posted some sportswashing propaganda a statement saying so earlier on Friday (translation via X/Twitter):
American sports diplomacy comes to Riyadh! We are thrilled to share the excitement as WWE Crown Jewel returns to Saudi Arabia this weekend! Crown Jewel is entirely created, owned, and produced by @WWE, a wholly American professional wrestling promotion headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut. American sports entertainment exports create shared unforgettable experiences, strengthening the bonds between the American and Saudi people.
While I personally wouldn’t work or send anyone who works for me to a job in Riyadh — right now, or ever — I certain want the weekend to be uneventful, and for peace and justice to come to those on both sides of the Saudi/Houthi conflict. One of those feels a lot more realistic than the other, however.
We’ll be covering how things go at and around Crown Jewel tomorrow, coverage that will hopefully just be about wrestling (with the occasional left-of-center grumbling we’re known for, natch).
