WWE’s modern live event experience has once again become a topic of debate after Jim Cornette and Brian Last discussed what they believe is a growing disconnect between the in arena audience and the television production. Speaking on their podcast, the pair used a listener’s recent experience at a WWE SmackDown taping in Louisville to illustrate what they argue are major issues with ticket pricing and how the shows are structured for television rather than the fans in the building.

Cornette explained that a friend attended the late February SmackDown taping in Louisville with his son, purchasing second row ringside seats that cost around $700 each. Despite the premium price, the experience was not what they expected.

The biggest issue came down to visibility. According to Cornette, the seats were too close to properly see the overhead screens and too far to the side to get a clear view of the entrance stage. When fans stood during entrances, his friend’s son reportedly struggled to see anything at all.

“The seats were like being in the front row of a drive in theater,” Cornette said.

Cornette compared the cost to what he remembered from wrestling events in Louisville decades ago.

“For $250 you could sit on the front row of every one of 52 yearly events at the Louisville Gardens when I was a kid, and see the you could get blood on you, you were so close and see the greatest, wildest ass wrestling you’ve ever seen, all year,” he said. “Now it’s three times what it used to cost in a year just to go to one show and sit on second row and watch people talk to each other.”

Brian Last questioned whether fans who spend that kind of money would realistically return for another show.

“If someone pays that amount of money for a seat in the second row, how likely are they to come back, even if it was a great night, just because of the price?” Last said. “Does that person say, ‘I have to go again?’ Or does that person say, ‘I spent a thousand bucks last time between parking and food and beer and seats I can’t do that again?’”

Cornette said the trip sounded more like a once in a lifetime experience rather than something the fan planned to repeat regularly.

“This was almost more in the category of a bucket list thing that he wanted to do with his son because of his fond memories of days gone by,” Cornette said. “And he didn’t exactly let his wife know how much money he spent.”

Even if the fan had a great time, Cornette argued that the cost alone makes repeat visits unrealistic for many people.

“There’s not a lot of people that can spend that much money just every goddamn old time,” he said.

Last added that ticket prices do not appear to be slowing down.

“It’s not going to be the same amount of money. It’s going to go up. There’s been no signs of ticket prices coming down,” Last said.

Cornette took the criticism further by suggesting WWE risks pricing out a large portion of its fan base.

“They’re going to start doing shows for the 500 richest fans they’ve got in a 20,000 seat building. My God, you’d have to turn to crime if it gets any more expensive. I think potentially the company selling the tickets has turned to crime, because this is fucking highway robbery.”

Last acknowledged that WWE is currently generating massive revenue but believes the strategy could have long term consequences.

“I’m not saying, ‘Oh my God, poor WWE, they’re gonna go out of business.’ They’re making so much money. But they’re burning out their fan base in every conceivable way,” he said.

Cornette also rejected the idea that the criticism was simply nitpicking.

“This is not, ‘Oh, we’re just trying to find something to pick on,’” he said. “This is a major story of how they are getting these obscene grosses for basically the product that they are currently offering and the excitement level of same.”

Another issue both hosts raised was how heavily WWE shows are structured around television production. Cornette argued that the in arena crowd often feels secondary to what is happening on broadcast.

He pointed to moments where performers must stand in the ring during commercial breaks waiting for the broadcast to return.

“One of the biggest stars in the company has been standing there with his dick in his hand, whistling Dixie for five minutes, and then they get to start,” Cornette said.

He added that if he had been in that situation as a performer, he would have found it extremely frustrating.

“I would have either gotten so goddamn mad I walked into the back and said, ‘Fuck y’all, I’m gone,’ or I would have started a riot on the microphone,” Cornette said. “That’s got to be excruciating as a performer, to go out there and then just have to stand there.”

Last noted that this structure originally made sense when WWE programming aired strictly on traditional television with scheduled ad breaks. With streaming platforms like Netflix now involved in distribution, he questioned whether those delays are still necessary.

“You can now have a guy’s music hit and he can go to the ring and you can start the thing,” Last said. “You don’t have to put the commercial there, because it’s not like you’re just changing a channel when you’re on Netflix.”

Cornette concluded by suggesting WWE treats the live crowd as background for the broadcast.

“I guess they think it’s their pleasure to sit there and watch the TV show that they got to watch at home for free, just because they’re there in person,” he said. “Because they’re there in person, they’re doing a service for the WWE they’ve got a big, large, enthusiastic audience to make everything look good. So thank you for coming and paying to do us a favor, making our show look great.”

He contrasted that with how television tapings were handled during the Jim Crockett Promotions era. According to Cornette, matches would continue during commercial breaks rather than forcing wrestlers and the crowd to pause.

“You weren’t there watching Ric Flair come to the ring for an interview and then take a two minute break while Ric Flair stood there and did the helicopter, and then come back and he starts talking,” Cornette said. “You were able to capture both what you needed on television and not make it suck for the crowd.”