December 31, 2007 Observer Newsletter: Year in review, history of Ric Flair in Greensboro
In compiling these numbers, there are a few things to note. Because WWE has elaborate stages when it tapes television, it cutes the capacity of arenas down significantly. In a 19,000-seat arena, a sold out Raw is only going to be around 13,500 fans, and Smackdown would be closer to 12,000. WWE can top 15,000 for regular house shows without staging, but virtually never does in North America. By that standard, if you compare these numbers with other periods in wrestling history, from a live attendance perspective, things are pretty bad. WWE used to top 15,000 in Madison Square Garden alone a dozen times per year during the territorial days. But it’s a different game today.
Even though the perception is that UFC is declining and boxing had a banner year, when you compare the top 15 PPV shows, you note a different story. Boxing had one record setting fight that skewed things. If anything, from a monthly get your friends together and watch the PPV aspect, UFC looks to have become No. 1 far more decidedly this past year.
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Dave Meltzer is the founder and lead writer on the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the weekly constant when it comes to news and reviews in pro wrestling and mixed martial arts for more than 40 years. Dave also co-hosts Wrestling Observer Radio with Bryan Alvarez and had had bylines for The National, Yahoo Sports, MMA Fighting and others.