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#3 No more dealings with Saudi Arabia
WWE entered a long-term deal with the Saudi Arabian government this past year. On the surface, it seemed like a natural expansion of WWE’s international business interests, besides a reflection of the current Saudi administration’s interest in presenting a more progressive image. The Greatest Royal Rumble stadium show kickstarted their joint efforts, and while it wasn’t an all-time great event, it nonetheless seemed to suggest a mutually beneficial relationship that was more or less harmless to the rest of WWE programming efforts.
Things took a turn with the controversy over the Saudi leadership allegedly coordinating the murder of a journalist. The Crown Jewel event, in particular, came under intense scrutiny, before WWE made the largely unpopular choice to see through the show despite media criticism and major talents like John Cena and Daniel Bryan refusing to participate.
Vince McMahon himself reportedly made the final call on Crown Jewel to protect a business relationship and the huge dollar amounts attached to it. It’s unlikely that Disney would have made the same call, both for its public image and for not having as much need for Saudi resources to bolster its business.
