When Wrestlemania 29, the biggest spectacle in sports entertainment, descends on MetLife Stadium next April it could result in a record-setting economic performance for the Tri-State area.
According to the results of a study obtained exclusively by The Post regarding the economic impact the WWE’s largest pay-per-view event has on its host cities over the past several years, Wrestlemania 29 could generate well over $100 million for the New York/New Jersey area.
“We couldn’t be more excited,” John Saboor, Senior Vice President of Special Events for WWE told The Post. “Wrestlemania has truly become a week-long celebration that is designed on so many levels ways for our host cities and partners, as well as fans to come in early and stay late.”
The study, performed by Enigma Research Corporation, found that Wrestlemania 28,held in Miami, generated $102.7 million in “direct, indirect and induced impact derived from spending by non-locals visiting specifically for WrestleMania 28.” That number is up over $40 million from the amount generated by the 2010 pay-per-view, which brought in over $60 million for the city of Atlanta.
Wrestlemania 28 also generated over $15 million in taxes for the Miami area.
What was once a one-night event has expanded into a week-long celebration of the WWE’s vast array of superstars both past and present. In addition to Wrestlemania 29, there will also be the WWE Hall of Fame induction ceremony held at Madison Square Garden, the sites of Wrestlemania I, X and XX, as well as a slew of WWE “Axxess” and charity events.
“Wrestlemania is obviously the cornerstone of the celebration,” Saboor said “We expect over 70,000 to attend the event at MetLife Stadium and another 50,000 to take part in the other events during the week.”
Wrestlemania generally draws fans from around the nation and globe to its host city as well. According to research, 71% of the fans who attended Wrestlemania 28 were from outside of the Miami area and stayed an average of four nights in the area. Visitors from outside of the area spent nearly $7 million at local restaurants.
“Miami was a gateway community, but New York and New Jersey are the world’s gateway,” Saboor said. “We believe we will see a very sizeable number of fans visiting from outside the region. We think the two destinations are similar in that respect, but New York and New Jersey are even more profound in their destination status.
“Wrestlemania 29 and Wrestlemania week is very much planned as a regional presentation and is designed to not only welcome fans from throughout the world but to create opportunities for fans on both sides of the Hudson River.”
The impact of Wrestlemania can also be measured in terms of the equivalent number of jobs the economic boom would create. Wrestlemania 28’s $102.7 million of revenue generated for Miami was the equivalent of creating 1,020 full-time jobs.
“One of our over-arching goals is to leave much more in your community than we take out,” Saboor said.
The process by which MetLife landed Wrestlemania 29 was not unlike the one that cities go through when competing to win the rights to host other major sporting events such as the Super Bowl, Olympics or World Cup.
When the WWE was searching for host cities for Wrestlemania (the company searches in four-year blocks) it distributed 17 requests for formal bid documentation and received 14 host city applications.
“So many of the principles, publicly and privately, that the Giants and Jets used to pursue the Super Bowl in 2014, were the same as the ones used to attract Wrestlemania,” Saboor said. “So many people have come together to create an organizing committee to welcome the world next spring. Our senior leadership was favorably impressed by their vision for hosting which ultimately caused the region to break out of a very competitive national landscape.”
Selecting MetLife Stadium somewhat bucks the trend when it comes to Wrestlemania being in a cold-weather, outdoor venue. The event, which will be held in April, will be one of the few times it has been held outside.
“In our history, going outside has not been the standard, but rather the exciting exception,” Saboor said. “The experience of Wrestlemania 29 at MetLife will be created to take advantage of what we consider to be an amazing outdoor setting. We believe our fans will enjoy a memorable experience regardless of the weather conditions.”
The Road to Wrestlemania has already started in the region. WWE Superstar John Cena was at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, serving as an honorary captain for the Jets in their 35-9 win over Indianapolis as well as promoting the WWE and Wrestlemania 29.
“We can’t wait to be there,” Saboor said. “We think it is going to be invariably one of our most historic Wrestlemanias. Our chairman [Vince McMahon] so eloquently said at the press conference announcing the site that ‘Wrestlemania is coming home.’ It was a moment that caught everyone’s attention and I’m looking forward to this in ways I can’t even describe.”
Tickets for Wrestlemania 29 go on sale on November 10.
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