Fabulous Moolah: Estimating the economic impact of WWE in Indy 

World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) announced plans for Indianapolis as the host city for three major pay-per-views in 2024, including the Royal Rumble at Lucas Oil Stadium. Suplexes and powerbombs aside, just how much is the Circle City expected to generate during the star-studded weekend?The deal, announced in the summer of 2024, is a collaboration between WWE and Indiana Sports Corp. The latter is a nonprofit organization known for hosting sporting events and positively impacting Indiana.Senior vice president of marketing at Indiana Sports Corp Celeste Ballou said that WWE pay-per-views like Royal Rumble can generate tens of millions.“I don’t have an exact figure, but previous (WWE pay-per-view) events in other markets have brought in upwards of $40 million,” Ballou said.WWE economic impact surrounding 2024 Royal Rumble (Photo provided/WWE)That figure is appropriate as multiple reports claim the 2024 Royal Rumble, held in St. Petersburg, Florida, raked in $47 million. $29 million was spent directly in the host city.Combining the three pay-per-views slated to happen in Indy, researchers anticipate the city bringing in $430 million.Fastlane, the most recent WWE promotion held in Indianapolis, became the most-watched and highest-grossing in company history. WWE reported records of viewership, gate and sponsorship surrounding the promotion. The...