TKO president says company will cancel Saudi shows if regional conflict escalates
TKO chief Mark Shapiro told employees at a town hall the company would put safety ahead of business and would cancel upcoming Saudi Arabia events if the situation in the region deteriorates, while acknowledging such cancellations would hurt the company's year.
TKO President Mark Shapiro told staff during a Wednesday town hall that the company would not hesitate to cancel scheduled events in Saudi Arabia should conflicts in the region escalate. Audio of the meeting was published Friday by POST Wrestling.
Shapiro acknowledged investors and analysts are watching the company closely and said a cancellation would have a negative financial impact on TKO's year. He said, however, that employee safety and comfort take priority over the business, adding the company would cancel events if there were signs of danger even though doing so would harm the budget.
WWE Crown Jewel is currently scheduled for November 7 in Riyadh and was recently moved indoors to The Venue (ANB Arena). TKO also has Zuffa Boxing booked for November 14 in Riyadh and a UFC Fight Night set for December 5. Shapiro discussed the potential financial fallout of canceling those events while stressing the company’s commitment to putting people first.
The remarks underscore TKO’s contingency stance as international tensions persist. While Shapiro indicated the company has so far avoided interruptions, he said there are no guarantees and cancellations remain a possibility if the security situation worsens.
F4WOnline reported the town hall comments and noted the company’s emphasis on safety over business considerations ahead of the late-year Saudi event schedule.
