There's a false report circulating on social media claiming WWE ticket prices will "go back to normal" once TKO pays off its debt by 2026. Ringside News can confirm this is absolutely wrong.

The viral post alleges that board members are "very aware" of fan frustration over pricing but claim nothing can change until TKO's debt is cleared. It even quotes unnamed sources saying, "Even WWE wants to lower the prices but they can't do anything until the TKO debt is paid off."

That's completely inaccurate. WWE ticket pricing is not driven by TKO's debt. It is dictated by market demand, venue size, site fees, and performance metrics -- not a debt-to-income ratio. The suggestion that WWE's hands are tied until debt is paid off is baseless.

For added clarity, TKO President Mark Shapiro addressed WWE's live event strategy during the JP Morgan Conference on May 13, 2025. He mentioned that the company is focused on dynamic pricing, yield management, and expanding margins -- not debt relief.

"WWE has tremendous upside in global partnerships," Shapiro said. "Tremendous upside that we're already realizing on ticket pricing. Tremendous upside in site fees. Dynamic pricing. Yield management... our margins significantly expanded as it relates to WWE live events. An amazing place to be."

WWE's current approach involves fewer events but bigger revenue -- cutting back from 300 to 200 shows a year, while maximizing profits through strategic site partnerships and premium pricing. Nothing in that strategy is tied to debt.

So, no -- ticket prices aren't dropping because of any TKO financial milestone. They're rising because WWE knows the market will pay it.