As PWMania.com previously reported, WWE will host WrestleMania 43 watch parties across the U.S., including at the Infosys Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City. That same weekend, the venue will also host NXT Stand & Deliver and AAA Eternal Glory.
According to Dave Meltzer in the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, sources within WWE believe that AEW President and CEO Tony Khan will run an event for his company in New York. This is partly why WWE booked both NXT Stand & Deliver and AAA Eternal Glory at the Infosys Theater. Meltzer also noted that the NXT and AAA shows are expected to take place “likely right after” the WrestleMania 43 watch parties at the venue, since WrestleMania airs earlier due to the time zone difference.
Meltzer mentioned that some people in the companies speculate that running events at the Infosys Center allows WWE to prevent AEW from making their debut at Madison Square Garden, even though MSG has not expressed interest in hosting AEW events. He also pointed out that it is not cost-effective for AEW to run a show at Madison Square Garden compared to venues like Louis Armstrong Stadium or the Barclays Center. It is important to clarify that Khan and AEW have not yet announced their plans for WrestleMania week or weekend. However, the report speculates that if AEW holds a stadium show in New York City, they could benefit from the timing, as fans could attend WrestleMania at the Infosys Center and then drive to the AEW event.
If both AEW and WWE hold shows in New York City during that week or weekend, it could significantly benefit independent promotions, making the area a massive hub for wrestling events, as is typical for WrestleMania week. WWE’s decision to host WrestleMania in Saudi Arabia had the potential to diminish that hub, which many independent companies rely on for a significant portion of their business each year. Meltzer stated that he expects WWE would want to create a situation in which independent groups have to choose between associating with AEW or WWE events that weekend, but it is unclear how that would be implemented.
