As PWMania.com previously reported, WrestleMania 42 in Las Vegas this year will not have watch parties as it has in previous years.
The distributor of the broadcasts has informed several establishments in the Las Vegas area that they will not be allowed to show the broadcast, even if they pay the licensing fee. This decision is attributed to a new policy implemented for businesses within 50 miles of the event, aimed at boosting ticket sales.
According to Fightful Select, a similar situation is expected to occur in Chicago next weekend for the 2026 WWE Elimination Chamber Pay-Per-View (PLE). The report indicated that watch parties in the arena are being blocked from showing the PLE due to the new blackout rules. Again, this policy is reportedly intended to increase ticket sales for the event.
Previous reports indicated that the restrictions on WrestleMania watch parties have caused considerable frustration, as some deals had already been made and plans set in place. It is reasonable to assume that similar frustrations may arise for the Elimination Chamber PLE, although Fightful has not specifically confirmed this.
It is also unclear whether the blackout covers the same 50-mile distance as it does for WrestleMania.
WWE Elimination Chamber will take place on Saturday, February 28th, at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, and it will air live on the ESPN Unlimited App in the U.S. and on Netflix internationally.
