WWE’s first-ever two-night SummerSlam event will come with major public backing from the state of New Jersey. The New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority (NJSEA) has approved $7.125 million in public funds to help support the blockbuster event, set for August 2–3, 2025, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford.
As first reported by Brandon Thurston of Wrestlenomics, the subsidy represents the largest known public investment in a WWE event within the United States to date, excluding WWE’s massive international site fee deals in Saudi Arabia and Australia. The move aligns with TKO Group Holdings’ strategy of securing lucrative government-backed site fees for premium WWE and UFC events.
“The allocated funds will be used to offset the cost of a negotiated incentive fee that is based, in part, on the benefits of hosting this two-night event in New Jersey,” NJSEA spokesperson Brian Aberback said in a statement.
According to a WWE-commissioned study conducted by Applied Analysis, SummerSlam 2025 is projected to generate an economic impact of over $80.7 million for the region. NJSEA emphasized the event’s potential to bring significant tourism, business, and global media visibility to the state.
The financial support will be drawn from the Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund, under NJSEA Resolution 2024-39. Final approval of the disbursement is pending authorization from the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs.
This funding mirrors the evolving trend of WWE transforming its Premium Live Events into multi-day, tourism-driving spectacles. SummerSlam’s move to two nights follows the blueprint laid out by WrestleMania, which began its two-night format in 2020 and has since seen significant success in host city impact.
MetLife Stadium last hosted SummerSlam in 1997 (then held at the nearby Continental Airlines Arena) and has since welcomed WrestleMania 29 (2013) and WrestleMania 35 (2019). The 2025 event will mark a major return for WWE to the New York/New Jersey market and could serve as a testing ground for future multi-night stadium events beyond WrestleMania.
Stay tuned to PWMania.com for more details on SummerSlam 2025, the NJSEA partnership, and all future WWE event news.
