Report: WWE restricting Chicago-area watch parties for Elimination Chamber
WWE is reportedly restricting Elimination Chamber watch parties in the Chicago area.
According to Fightful Select, several venues in the market have been informed that they cannot host watch parties for the premium live event, which is set for Saturday, February 28 at the United Center.
The news comes after reports earlier this month that WWE was also blocking establishments in Las Vegas from hosting watch parties for WWE WrestleMania 42, even if those establishments were willing to pay a licensing fee.
It is believed that WWE’s blackout policy for these upcoming events is tied to increasing ticket sales.
According to a report from WrestleTix early Friday morning, 14,895 tickets had been distributed for Elimination Chamber. The get-in price, or cheapest ticket available on the secondary market at the time of the report, was listed at $261.05. The current seating setup for the show is listed at 17,016.
In addition to the men’s and women’s Elimination Chamber matches, both CM Punk and AJ Lee will be in action in Chicago. Punk will defend his World Heavyweight Championship against Finn Balor, while Lee is set to challenge Becky Lynch for the Intercontinental Championship.
Ian Carey is a writer from Toronto, Ontario, Canada, whose work has been featured in NOW Magazine, The Huffington Post, and more. A lifelong wrestling aficionado born in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, he has covered the industry for a decade and a half. He joined the f4wonline.com team in 2019.