Is the WWE changing up WrestleMania weekend? Change is a part of the business process as companies evolve to stay relevant but what's the change being proposed for the WWE's flagship show? Let's look at a story from WrestleVotes concerning WrestleMania weekend:

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This Isn't the First Change to the WWE's Flagship Show

This isn't the first time the WWF has changed the format for its flagship show. The most recent change was the WWE's decision to spread WrestleMania out over two nights rather than holding it on one night. In hindsight, this has been beneficial for the company as it's allowed the WWE to double its live gate by holding the event on Saturday and Sunday nights.

It's also helped fans by giving them a better-paced show. Some fans complained of burn-out as WrestleMania would go on for several hours counting the pre-show. Having WrestleMania over two nights allows the WWE to still hold a good amount of matches without turning the event into a marathon.

Longtime fans also know that the WWE has played around with its WrestleMania format. For example, WrestleMania II was held in three cities. Not only that but the show was held on a Monday night, the only time WrestleMania was held on a weekday night.

Money, Convenience, or Both?

There are reasons why moving NXT's big night from Saturday to Thursday is a good move. There are also reasons why it's a bad move. It may come down to what is financially lucrative for the WWE and the municipality hosting the events.

Fans who have attended NXT's show on night one of WrestleMania know it can be stressful getting from one venue to another. Another problem is the potential for fans attending NXT and night one to feel burnt out from so much wrestling (although not everyone feels that way). Moving the show to a Thursday could alleviate these problems.

On the other hand, fans attending WrestleMania weekend from outside town would have to pay for an additional accommodations to attend NXT and WrestleMania. This could also be troublesome for fans who would have to take two extra days off from work to attend all three nights.

At the same time, the WWE may want to transform WrestleMania into a five-day (or longer) event to make it more lucrative for the municipality that pays for the right to host it. It might be easier to sell WrestleMania and the shows that accompany it by pointing out how it could boost hotel and restaurant revenues with the influx of fans attending shows over multiple nights.

The WWE could add SmackDown, RAW, and even the traditional weekly episode of NXT to the host city's arenas (assuming the WWE can book the right amount of venues).

Will the WWE's Core Audience Be Priced Out?

Traditional fans may be upset at the added cost of attending these events. However, as the WWE continues to build up its PLEs as must-see entertainment events that appeal to the general public like other mega events such as the NFL's Super Bowl, the company may not care.

The WWE is looking to increase revenue and if it can do so by bringing in enough casual fans and non-fans to a week-long event, they'll likely be happy to do so. Long-time fans may complain about high prices for PLE seats but as long as others buy the seats, the WWE has no problem raising the prices.

Although the WWE has announced that NXT Stand and Deliver will take place on the same day as night one of WrestleMania 40, the company may be considering a change for the following year.

Photo Credit: WWE