WWE had a plan for what they expected CM Punk to say on this week’s Raw, but he went out and cut a different promo from the heart, according to PWInsider Elite’s Mike Johnson.
Johnson reported that, while no fallout from the promo has been heard of internally, what Punk said closely mirrors a real and growing discontent among multiple members of the WWE roster over ticket pricing heading into the biggest show of the year.
“We have not heard of any fallout from the promo, but we are also told much of what Punk said mirrors backstage frustration among talent over the last several weeks,” Johnson wrote. “We have heard from several talents who have expressed frustration with the fact that tickets are priced so high, that there are so many left for the top show of the year, and that while there are so many available seats, only two comp tickets are being granted to talent for the night they are performing. Anything additional, they would need to purchase themselves.”
With Allegiant Stadium holding tens of thousands of seats and significant inventory still available weeks out from the event, talent being limited to two complimentary tickets while being required to purchase any additional seats at the same elevated prices fans are facing has compounded the sense of grievance in the locker room.
Punk’s promo on Raw directed his comments at Pat McAfee and Ari Emanuel, urging TKO to lower ticket prices so that families could attend WrestleMania 42 and watch him face Roman Reigns. Bryan Alvarez of the Wrestling Observer reported that WWE appears to be looking at lowering ticket prices through the summer, suggesting the frustration expressed both publicly and privately is having an effect.
WrestleMania 42 takes place April 18 and 19 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada.
