While speaking on his podcast, WWE Hall of Famer Eric Bischoff reacted to the news that WrestleMania 43 will be taking place in Saudi Arabia…
“It’s the evolution of the business, it’s reality. TKO is a publicly held company. They have a responsibility to the shareholders that are part owners of the company to deliver the biggest return they can to the bottom line. It’s just a fact of life, especially for a publicly held company.”
“But it’s also breaking a tradition, and I can relate to Vince [McMahon]’s concern. You know, professional wrestling truly is an American phenomenon. Yes, it’s taken place all over the world and blah, blah, blah, blah, technically speaking. But it really is an American phenomenon. It’s uniquely American. And to take it outside of the country — Canada doesn’t count. It’s just like another state, it’s a big state, but it’s just another state, and it’s easily accessible by people in the United States for the most part. So taking it to the other side of the planet is a big move, and it’s going to come with a cost.”
“You’re going to have people disappointed in this decision. It’s probably going to get some negative publicity because well, that’s just the way people are, particularly in social media. So it’s it to me, really, it’s a little bit of both. It’s inevitable for a publicly held company, for the reasons that Raj pointed out. But it’s also a little disappointing for me. I relate to Vince’s hesitancy. Let’s put it that way.” (quotes courtesy of 411Mania.com)