The upcoming Greatest Royal Rumble event in Saudi Arabia is problematic for a number of reasons. For starters, women aren't allowed to compete on the card but the fact it's essentially a propaganda show for the government is most concerning. They're the ones deciding who gets tickets and those who have a family with a woman in it are being prioritised to make it look like women's rights are important to the country. Single men, however, are only allowed to have bad seats out of camera shot.
As a result, it's thought that the response to the show won't be great because most of the people there won't actually be wrestling fans and the best seats are saved for the Saudi General Sports Authority.
The belief is that the show isn't being promoted that much in Saudi Arabia because the government is more concerned with coming off a certain way to the rest of the world. The building is essentially a sell-out but only because officials have bought all the tickets and there's a very good chance the building won't actually be full. It's a bizarre situation, especially as those attending can't CHOOSE seats.
Women are treated very differently in Saudi Arabia than they are in the United States and most Western countries, so that's likely why there are no females on the card. In fact, according to Deadspin writer David Bixenspan, he has been told by WWE that there are no plans to have any female wrestlers on the card at all, however, "women and children are allowed to attend."
The Greatest Royal Rumble will undoubtedly be a history-making one and presumably the first of many WWE shows in Saudi Arabia as the company signed a 10-year deal to keep returning there over the course of the next decade. Unfortunately though, the lack of women on the card is also going to make it a controversial one and hopefully long before the end of WWE's 10-year deal that will have changed.
As a result, it's thought that the response to the show won't be great because most of the people there won't actually be wrestling fans and the best seats are saved for the Saudi General Sports Authority.
The belief is that the show isn't being promoted that much in Saudi Arabia because the government is more concerned with coming off a certain way to the rest of the world. The building is essentially a sell-out but only because officials have bought all the tickets and there's a very good chance the building won't actually be full. It's a bizarre situation, especially as those attending can't CHOOSE seats.
Women are treated very differently in Saudi Arabia than they are in the United States and most Western countries, so that's likely why there are no females on the card. In fact, according to Deadspin writer David Bixenspan, he has been told by WWE that there are no plans to have any female wrestlers on the card at all, however, "women and children are allowed to attend."
The Greatest Royal Rumble will undoubtedly be a history-making one and presumably the first of many WWE shows in Saudi Arabia as the company signed a 10-year deal to keep returning there over the course of the next decade. Unfortunately though, the lack of women on the card is also going to make it a controversial one and hopefully long before the end of WWE's 10-year deal that will have changed.
..
