TKO COO stresses staff safety in Middle East during company town hall
At a TKO-wide town hall, COO Mark Shapiro said protecting employees headed to Middle East events is a top priority. The meeting — held before a venue change announcement for WWE’s Crown Jewel — covered event plans and regional security concerns.
TKO President and Chief Operating Officer Mark Shapiro told staff during a company town hall this week that the safety of employees traveling to Middle East events is a top priority, according to PWInsider. The meeting, conducted via Zoom, featured brief updates from multiple TKO departments including WWE, UFC, Zuffa Boxing and On Location.
The town hall took place before it was announced that Crown Jewel would not be held at Riyadh Season Stadium; PWInsider reported the Nov. 7 WWE event is still expected to be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. PWInsider also reported Shapiro "emphatically stated" that staff safety was paramount during the discussion.
WWE President Nick Khan also spoke at the meeting about the company’s upcoming talent and recalled past comments about travel safety. In April, Khan said WWE would only travel to Riyadh "if it’s safe or if we’re allowed there," and he and Paul Levesque attended that Night of Champions trip; it is unclear whether Khan and Levesque will travel for Crown Jewel this year.
Heightened security concerns in the region were discussed in the context of recent attacks. PWInsider noted Iran-backed Houthi forces have struck civilian locations over the past month, including an assault on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. The U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia issued a security advisory on Oct. 25 cautioning Americans to exercise "extreme caution" when using any airports in the country.
The report also places other scheduled combat sports events in the timeline: the Canelo Alvarez vs. Mbilli card remains expected in Saudi Arabia on Oct. 31, and Power Slap — which is not part of TKO but is co-founded by Dana White — has an event in the region on Nov. 6. Ariel Helwani reported some Power Slap staff plan to travel to Bahrain and drive into Saudi Arabia. PWInsider said the town hall included discussion of contingency plans and that there is reportedly a backup location if travel to Saudi Arabia becomes impossible, though WWE travel plans have not been confirmed publicly.
