How WWE Markets Stadium PPVs: Petco Park Case Study

 A $5 Million Bet: Inside WWE’s Stadium Strategy for Survivor Series at Petco Park

WWE is transforming its Survivor Series into a stadium spectacle, moving the 2025 event to San Diego’s Petco Park. This strategic shift, backed by a multi-million dollar investment from the host city, highlights WWE’s evolving business model and its focus on turning major pay-per-views into large-scale destination events.

The Financial Backing: A Lucrative Host City Deal
Documents obtained through public records requests reveal that the total budget to bring Survivor Series to San Diego is $5 million . This includes a $650,000 bid fee approved by the San Diego Tourism Marketing District (SDTMD) and an additional $4.35 million in non-SDTMD contributions, which were itemized for “entertainment” and “special event production” in the San Diego Padres’ application. This places the event’s financial incentives on par with those for WrestleMania, signaling its heightened importance.

The Venue: Creating a Major Event Atmosphere
Selecting Petco Park is a deliberate move to elevate the event’s prestige. This will be the first Survivor Series ever held in an outdoor stadium, creating a unique visual and amplifying the spectacle of the WarGames cage. The stadium setting allows WWE to target a larger audience, both in person and via broadcast, leveraging the iconic San Diego bayfront backdrop for promotional material.

The On-Site Evidence: Responding to Market Demand
The marketing strategy is proving effective on the ground. According to a WrestleTix report from October 16, 2025, WWE expanded the seating configuration at Petco Park due to strong demand, adding more seats between sections 326 and 327. The current setup accommodates over 32,000 fans, with nearly 30,000 tickets already distributed—a figure that nearly doubles the attendance of the previous year’s event. This proactive expansion demonstrates confidence in the market and the stadium strategy.

The Broadcast Revolution: New Platforms, New Audiences
The 2025 Survivor Series is also a landmark broadcast event. It will be the first to stream in the U.S. on ESPN’s direct-to-consumer service and the first to stream internationally on Netflix, following the expiration of WWE’s Peacock deal. This transition to massive new streaming platforms is a key part of the marketing outreach, designed to tap into a broader, global subscriber base.

The Economic Pitch: Selling the City on ROI
To secure the public funding, local organizations emphasized the projected economic windfall. The Padres’ application to the SDTMD cited WWE’s claimed impacts from other events, including a $214.6 million economic boost for WrestleMania in Los Angeles . The SDTMD estimates Survivor Series will generate 18,000 hotel room nights and return $3.6 million in revenue to city lodging businesses, specifically targeting a slower period for tourism.

Conclusion
WWE’s marketing of Survivor Series at Petco Park is a multi-faceted operation. It combines lucrative city incentives, the spectacle of a stadium venue, strategic ticket sales management, and a revolutionary broadcast approach. This case study shows that WWE is successfully repackaging its historic pay-per-views as must-attend, must-watch stadium spectacles, ensuring their growth and relevance for years to come.