AEW’s ambitious plans for its Grand Slam: Australia event at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium are taking a major turn.
According to a new report from Fightful Select, the promotion is preparing to relocate the February 15, 2025, event to a smaller venue due to underwhelming ticket sales. The announcement of the venue change is expected to drop soon.
Originally announced during All In: London 2024, AEW’s Australian debut was set to make a massive splash at Suncorp Stadium, a venue that can host up to 52,000 fans for football events. However, despite the initial excitement, ticket sales have fallen far short of expectations, forcing the company to rethink its strategy.
Wrestling insiders have been vocal about the situation. On Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer didn’t hold back when discussing the challenges AEW is facing with the event. “Not good,” he said when asked about ticket sales, adding that fans in Australia shared similar concerns. Bryan Alvarez echoed this sentiment, noting, “That’s what everyone in Australia said.”
Meltzer also pointed out the historical struggles wrestling promotions face with stadium shows. “I think sometimes people think, like, if you rent a stadium, they will come. But, historically in wrestling, a lot of stadium shows did not do well,” he explained.
The exact details of the new venue are still under wraps, but moving to a smaller, more intimate setting could be the fresh start AEW needs to reignite interest in the show. With the promotion’s reputation for delivering memorable events, a strong card and creative marketing could still salvage its Australian debut.
What do you think about AEW’s decision to change venues? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comment section below.