WWE Pay-Per-Views

This is a list of WWE pay-per-view and livestreaming supercards, detailing all professional wrestling cards promoted by the American promotion WWE on pay-per-view (PPV) and available via livestreaming on services such as the WWE Network. Due to the American version of the WWE Network merging under Peacock, and with the WWE Network still available in most international markets, as well as less focus being given to traditional PPV channels, in 2022, the company began using the term "Premium Live Event" to refer to their events airing on PPV and the livestreaming services.

History

The American professional wrestling promotion WWE has been broadcasting pay-per-view (PPV) events since the 1980s, when its classic "Big Four" events ( Royal Rumble, WrestleMania, SummerSlam, and Survivor Series) were first established—the company's very first PPV was WrestleMania I in 1985. The company's PPV lineup expanded to a monthly basis in the mid-1990s before expanding even further in the mid-2000s. In addition, WWE produced international PPVs not available in the United States between 1997 and 2003. In 2022, the company began recognizing Money in the Bank as one of their five biggest events of the year, thus making it a "Big Five" event along with the classic "Big Four"; King of the Ring was considered a "Big Five" event from 1993 until 2002, after which, it was discontinued as a PPV.

Following WWE's original brand extension in 2002, the company promoted two touring rosters, Raw and SmackDown, representing its television programs, ''Raw'' and '' SmackDown''. The traditional "Big Four" continued to showcase the entire roster, while the remaining PPV events alternated between Raw and SmackDown cards. A special Extreme Championship Wrestling reunion PPV in 2005 led to the creation of an ECW brand in 2006, which also received its own dedicated PPV events. In March 2007, WWE announced that all subsequent PPV events would feature performers from all brands. In 2008, all WWE PPV events began broadcasting in high-definition.

The company's PPV business began to drastically change with the launch of the online streaming service, the WWE Network, on February 24, 2014. WWE's focus shifted away from delivering their events solely on PPV channels, with their main focus on livestreaming all of the events on the WWE Network, including some exclusive events, such as NXT TakeOver. After the second brand extension in July 2016, brand-exclusive PPVs returned with the "Big Four" as the only PPVs to feature both Raw and SmackDown brands. Brand-exclusive PPVs would once again come to an end; this time after WrestleMania 34 in April 2018.

Beginning with NXT TakeOver 31 in October 2020, the TakeOver events started airing on traditional PPV in addition to livestreaming. In late 2021, WWE discontinued the TakeOver series, but has continued to promote major NXT events periodically; however, beginning with the 2022 calendar year, WWE ceased broadcasting NXT's major events on PPV with them now only available via livestreaming.

The 2021 edition of Fastlane would be the beginning of WWE PPVs in the United States airing on NBCUniversal's streaming service, Peacock, following a merger of the American WWE Network under Peacock in March that year. The standalone version of the American WWE Network shutdown on April 4. Most of the rest of the world has maintained the separate WWE Network service, with a few exceptions. These exceptions include Indonesia and the Philippines, where the WWE Network merged under Disney+ in January and November 2022, respectively, and in Australia, where it merged under Binge in January 2023.

In addition to Peacock's WWE Network channel, WWE PPVs are still made available on traditional PPV outlets in the United States. In Canada, WWE PPVs are available through Vu!, Shaw PPV, or SaskTel PPV, and are shown in select locations of the Cineplex Entertainment chain. In Australia, WWE's pay-per-views are shown on Main Event. In the United Kingdom and Ireland, all PPVs were shown on Sky Sports Box Office until 2019, when BT Sport took over rights to WWE content. In India and South Asia, a single broadcaster (currently Sony Ten) generally holds the rights to all WWE programming, with PPVs broadcast for no additional charge.

Currently, WWE PPV events are generally held on Saturdays and are typically 3 hours in length, with some events running longer or shorter. NXT's events are typically between 2 and 3 hours. Prior to 2022, PPVs were generally held on a Sunday. The change was attributed to Nick Khan who felt that "big sports events were better on Saturday nights."WWE also airs a pre-show before most PPV events known as the ''Kickoff'' show which includes interviews, match previews, and a panel of experts analyzing the upcoming line-up (the pre-shows also used to host some matches but these were phased out in early 2022). WWE airs a post-show media press conference following some events, including NXT events. Previously, they would air a post-show for some events, known as ''Fallout''. Each ''Fallout'' included interviews and a panel of experts analyzing the event. WWE also previously held PPV editions of the ''Raw Talk'' post-show for Raw-branded events and the ''Talking Smack'' post-show for SmackDown-branded events.

Past events

1980s

1985

1986

1987

1988

1989

1990s

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000s

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010s

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

The WWE Network launched on February 24, 2014. Every pay-per-view event from this point forward aired on both traditional PPV outlets and the WWE Network. However, beginning with NXT Arrival, several additional events began airing exclusively on the Network. These Network exclusives are noted as "Network exclusive". Beginning in 2021, some countries saw their version of the WWE Network merge under another streaming platform (e.g., in the United States, the WWE Network merged under Peacock on March 18, 2021). The "Network exclusive" note from 2021 forward also covers these other platforms.

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020s

2020

2021

2022

2023

Upcoming event schedule

2023

2024

Number of events by year

Overall total — 493 ''(9 more confirmed)''

Most PPV and livestreaming supercard event matches

These ten wrestlers have the most matches as of ''Money in the Bank 2023''.

*The list refers to data from The Internet Wrestling Database and may differ from the actual number of matches.

Themed events

Many WWE events are thematic, centered on particular types of matches, or have an annually recurring main event. Most themed or gimmick events (sans the "Big Five" events) are roughly treated like filler themed events to carry the audience until the next event dating back to the days when the In Your House system was used.Matt O'Brien
POLL: DOES WWE DO TOO MANY GIMMICK PPV EVENTS?
– WrestleView.com, May 17, 2012. Retrieved August 28, 2013.

See also

* List of AEW ppv events
* List of major Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide events
* List of ECW supercards and ppv events
* List of FMW supercards and ppv events
* List of GFW specials and ppv events
* List of MLW specials and ppv events
* List of NWA ppv events
* List of major NJPW events
* List of ROH ppv events
* List of TNA / Impact Wrestling ppv events
* List of Impact Plus events
* List of WCCW supercard events
* List of WCW closed-circuit events and ppv events
* List of WCW Clash of the Champions shows
* List of WWE Saturday Night's Main Event shows
* List of WWE Tribute to the Troops shows

References

External links

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Events