WWE Crown Jewel: may now be over, but it remains a hot topic as its host city, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, continues to face attacks by Houthi forces, including some that happened hours after Crown Jewel endedand finally the next day, but several WWE personnel had left. And that feud appears to be continuing as staff members working for both WWE and other TKO Group Holdings properties vent their frustration that TKO continues to book shows in the area. Crownless reports that many within TKO have become “increasingly disillusioned” with TKO/Saudi relations and with TKO’s “insistence” on continuing events in the country despite ongoing attacks.
One employee said the partnership had turned to greed and TKO was so worried about missing out on major payments from the Saudi government if they missed a show that prioritized the safety of their talent and staff. Another employee suggested the same, noting that while other sporting events were canceled, including golf and tennis tournaments, TKO went ahead with the Crown Jewel and Power Slap event, which required some crew members to work both. The bigger sticking point, however, is TKO’s desire to continue shows in Riyadh over the next month, starting with the Zuffa Boxing event, set for November 14th, and UFC Fight Night, set for December 5th.
Anonymous TKO Employee Says Everyone ‘Treated Like S***’ Across Company
More so than Zuffa Boxing, UFC Fight Night is a particular point of contention for the staff, as it was noted that despite the event being so close, TKO did not provide any information regarding staff protection or backup plans should things go wrong. Another employee noted how some workers were exploring ideas for withdrawing from the event, but asked if they would go through with it for fear of retaliation.
“This is a company that can fire you for no reason and for any reason,” the employee said. “Everyone just can’t believe that this is a forced choice. fly to a war zone or risk being out of a job by Christmas.”
Another employee echoed the remarks, saying that many within TKO have come to the “realization” that this is what the company stands for and that it’s now up to workers to “take it or leave, because nothing’s going to change at this point.” However, this source believed now was the right time to expose TKO’s behavior because of the public’s belief that employees are being treated well, instead of saying they are treated like they are. TKO talent has been groomed over the years.
“Everyone throughout the company is treated like s***, whether you’re a fighter or a cameraman,” they said.
