All Elite Wrestling’s (AEW) Grand Slam event was held on September 21, 2022 at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York City. This was a historic event for AEW, being their first show held in a stadium with over 20,000 seats. There has been a lot of interest and speculation around how well the event sold in terms of ticket sales. In this article, we will look at the available data to estimate how many tickets were sold for AEW Grand Slam.
AEW Ticket Sales Data
AEW does not officially release specific ticket sales data for their events. However, there are some useful sources of information that can provide estimates on the Grand Slam ticket sales:
- Seating capacity – Arthur Ashe Stadium has a tennis seating capacity of 23,771 but can be configured for over 20,000 for other events.
- Ticket presales – AEW ran multiple presales for the event, with tickets immediately selling out each time. This indicated strong initial demand.
- Secondary market listings – Leading up to the event, there were over 15,000 tickets available on secondary markets like StubHub.
- Venue setup – The stage and ramp setup appeared to cover around half the stadium. So at least 10,000 tickets were likely sold.
- Attendance reports – Multiple fan reports estimated attendance to be around 20,000 – 22,000 based on how full the sections were.
While not definitive, these data points can help establish a reasonable range for the likely number of tickets sold. Most estimates point to it being between 15,000 to 22,000 tickets sold, with the total attendance ending up in the range of 18,000-20,000 once no-shows are factored in.
Estimating AEW Grand Slam Ticket Sales
Based on the available information, we can make an educated guess for the AEW Grand Slam ticket sales:
Metric | Estimate |
---|---|
Seating capacity | 20,000+ |
Presales sellouts | 5,000+ initial tickets |
Secondary market listings | 15,000+ tickets |
Venue setup | 10,000+ tickets |
Attendance reports | 18,000 – 20,000 range |
Given these estimates, it’s reasonable to conclude that AEW likely sold between 18,000 – 20,000 tickets for Grand Slam at Arthur Ashe Stadium. This aligns with the various reports and indicates it was a strong sell for AEW’s first stadium-sized event.
How AEW Grand Slam Ticket Sales Compare
To put these Grand Slam ticket sale estimates in perspective, we can compare to some benchmarks within AEW and WWE:
- AEW’s previous highest attended show was 17,000 for Double or Nothing 2021.
- WWE’s recent Raw 30 drew 17,000 – 18,000 in attendance.
- WWE’s largest non-WrestleMania events are around 20,000, such as Summerslam 1992.
- WWE WrestleMania events regularly exceed 60,000 attendees.
Based on these comparisons, an 18,000 – 20,000 ticket sale figure for AEW Grand Slam would be considered excellent. It surpasses their previous highs and is comparable to some of WWE’s largest non-WrestleMania stadium shows. While not reaching WrestleMania levels, it establishes AEW can successfully sell major stadium events going forward.
Why AEW Grand Slam Had Strong Ticket Sales
There are several factors that contributed to AEW Grand Slam’s ability to sell 18,000-20,000 tickets:
- Market – The New York City market is a major hub for pro wrestling and offered a huge potential audience.
- Stadium novelty – This was AEW’s first stadium show, which made it a unique draw.
- Card strength – CM Punk’s first AEW match in NYC plus big title matches like Omega vs. Danielson attracted fans.
- Mainstream buzz – AEW had been gaining momentum with media through stars like Punk and the event got significant press.
The combination of these factors created excitement and demand that translated into strong ticket sales. AEW executed well in promoting the show and putting together a stacked card. The market was likely there for an even higher sale total, but the 20,000 range should still be viewed as a major success for AEW.
CM Punk’s Debut
CM Punk making his AEW debut was a huge factor in garnering excitement for Grand Slam. Punk is one of the biggest mainstream stars in wrestling over the past decade. His surprise debut with AEW made massive waves throughout the wrestling industry.
Having Punk wrestle his first AEW match in a huge market like NYC was perfectly timed to take advantage of that buzz and draw in casual fans. Punk proved to be a key part of making Grand Slam an must-see event right from the initial announcement, and undoubtedly sold many tickets.
Omega vs. Danielson Dream Match
In addition to Punk, the dream match set for Grand Slam between Kenny Omega and Bryan Danielson was a marquee selling point. AEW positioned this as a superfight between two of the industry’s best wrestlers.
These two have been top stars in multiple promotions but never faced each other before. The rarity and high caliber of the competitors allowed this match to capture fans’ imagination. Along with Punk, it gave Grand Slam two monumental first-time matches that fueled great anticipation.
Breakdown of AEW Grand Slam Revenue
In addition to strong ticket sales, AEW Grand Slam was likely a financial home run overall thanks to multiple significant revenue streams:
Ticket Revenue
With an average ticket price around $80, 18,000-20,000 tickets would translate to $1.5 – $1.6 million in gross ticket revenue. This doesn’t account for comps and backstage passes, but gives a good estimate of the base ticket money generated.
Broadcast Rights Fees
As a televised major event for AEW, Grand Slam brought in substantial broadcast rights fees. Financial details of their TV contracts are private, but major special events command higher fees. This was likely worth 7-figures for TV right payments.
Merchandise Sales
With over 18,000+ fans in attendance, merchandise sales were likely very strong. Major names like CM Punk moving lots of shirt and gear translates to big money. An event of this size could easily generate over $500,000 in merch.
Sponsorships & Advertising
Special events offer prime opportunities for sponsorships and in-broadcast advertising. The high attendance and ratings for Grand Slam make it very attractive for ad buys. Another potential 7-figure revenue stream from sponsors and ads.
Factoring in these various elements, AEW Grand Slam was likely able to generate well over $3 million in total revenue. For a company of AEW’s size, this would represent an enormous financial windfall from a single event. It illustrates the money-making potential of these super-shows.
Future AEW Stadium Show Prospects
The strong ticket sales and financial success of Grand Slam bodes very well for AEW running more stadium supershows. Tony Khan has already indicated they plan to make it an annual event in New York. Other big markets like Chicago and Los Angeles could also potentially support a big AEW stadium show.
The key will be finding the right timing and card lineup. Replicating the novelty of the first stadium show may be difficult. But as AEW continues growing their fanbase, the pool of stadium worthy talent and matches will also expand. Danielson vs. Omega 2, CM Punk vs. MJF, and a dream match like Kenny Omega vs. Adam Cole are just some of the future possibilities.
If AEW can consistently deliver exciting cards with mainstream buzz, hitting over 15,000+ attendance for stadium shows in their marquee markets seems very achievable. Grand Slam proved there is a strong appetite for AEW on the big stage. Now the goal will be to sustain that momentum and grow their stadium show presence.
Conclusion
AEW Grand Slam marked a major breakthrough for AEW delivering on the promise of becoming a promotion with the ability and demand to fill large stadium venues. While the exact number isn’t fully verified, all available information indicates the show sold in the range of 18,000-20,000 tickets. For a first-ever stadium event, selling out an over 20,000 seat capacity in New York City is a remarkable accomplishment.
Multiple factors like CM Punk and Bryan Danielson’s debuts, the strength of the card, and AEW’s rising popularity aligned to create perfect timing for this milestone show. The likely revenue generation from tickets, media rights, merchandise and sponsors was also massive, making Grand Slam a smash hit financially.
AEW can now move forward with confidence in their ability to successfully promote stadium supershows in top markets. Finding the right talent, matches and timing will be crucial to repeating this level of success. But the strong foundation has been laid, and no doubt AEW officials were thrilled to see such a robust response to their inaugural stadium event attempt. For a young upstart company, selling out Arthur Ashe is a sign they have earned their spot as a prime destination for wrestling fans.