WWE Backlash France Sets Record Low Pay-Per-View Buys Despite Historic Gate

One Big Thing

Despite breaking the record for the largest arena gate in WWE history, WWE Backlash France set a dismal pay-per-view record, with the lowest Google searches and pay-per-view buys for any WWE pay-per-view, according to Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio.

Key Points

• Cody Rhodes retained his Undisputed WWE Championship against AJ Styles
• Tanga Loa, former NJPW star, became the newest member of The Bloodline
• Jade Cargill and Bianca Belair became the WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions
• The show broke the record for the largest arena gate in WWE history
• The crowd was so loud that people started getting warnings on their smart devices

Pay-Per-View Performance

Meltzer noted that the pay-per-view number for WWE Backlash France was around 3,700 in the first week, which is expected to grow. However, this number was down 39% from the same period leading into the WWE Elimination Chamber show and was the lowest in history for a WWE show as far as pay-per-view buys, by a significant margin.

Why It Matters

While the pay-per-view number means very little financially for WWE, given that most American fans watch the shows on Peacock, it can reveal the level of interest in that particular event. Under the old model, WWE Backlash France would have been considered a flop, but the old standards for judging a wrestling show’s success or failure no longer apply in the modern era of content consumption.

What do you think about the record-low pay-per-view buys for WWE Backlash France despite its historic gate? Leave a comment below!