WWE Backlash 2024 Breaks All-Time Low Company Record

WWE

WWE Backlash was the “largest gate of any arena show in WWE history” but other metrics hint at a different story over fan interest.

The May 4, 2024, Premium Live Event took place in Lyon, France with Dave Meltzer claiming that WWE “did a three million dollar gate.”

While the live crowd may have been strong for the show, Meltzer looked at other metrics for success on Wrestling Observer Radio, saying:

“The last WWE show, the show from France as far as interest levels with the public – got the Google number, got the PPV number, it’s very clear that this show for whatever reason, this show did not have much interest as compared to a normal WWE show.”

If you use this transcription or any portion of it please credit WrestleTalk.com and link to this page.

Speaking further on the subject of the WWE Backlash numbers, Meltzer went on to say:

“The Google searches were the lowest for any WWE pay-per-view I’ve ever seen, 100,000.

“It’s early, so the first week number it’s gonna grow but the first week number it was like 3700.

“Financially a WWE PPV number doesn’t mean anything, because most of the people are going to be watching on Peacock, but the one thing a PPV number can tell you is how much interest is there, and this one was down 39% from the same period leading into the Chamber show, which was the Perth show.

“It was the lowest in history for a WWE show as far as PPV buys and it looks to be by a significant margin.”

If you use this transcription or any portion of it please credit WrestleTalk.com and link to this page.

As Meltzer mentioned, WWE’s pay-per-view buys are of course nowhere near as important as they used to be since people watch on Peaock/WWE Network, but can still be an indicator of interest levels.

Meltzer took a look at the current WWE PLE strategy in the wake of a Saudi Arabia officially wanting to attract WrestleMania or Royal Rumble to the Kingdom.

It was recently reported that WWE had sought to bring Backlash to Paris though had been unable to secure a venue ahead of the 2024 Olympic Games.

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