Wrestlenomics reports that World Wrestling Entertainment has sued the Attorney General of Texas to prevent the release of information pursuant to the Texas Public Information Act. Its related to information that was released on inflated attendance figures on last year’s Royal Rumble.
The lawsuit is based upon a public information request from Brandon Thurston at Wrestlenomics to the City of Sant Antonio as it related to the 2023 Royal Rumble held at the Alamodome. Another entity made a request for “[a]ll bids, request for proposals, contracts and agreements” related to the WWE and the City’s venues from 2015 to the present, and all complaints regarding the WWE from 2015 to the present. The request was deemed moot since it was related to a lawsuit that was settled.
In its post, Wrestlenomics confirmed exaggerated attendance figures announced on the broadcast. WWE announced attendance at 51,338 fans. Wrestlenomics learned that 42,928 fans’ tickets were scanned and entered the building. Audit records also revealed 2,662 tickets were comped.
WWE is now filing the lawsuit to prevent the release of a contract between itself and the City of San Antonio.
WWE argued that the information should have been deemed “trade secrets” and “proprietary information”
Although the Texas Attorney General (AG) granted the City of San Antonio the right to withhold disclosure of information in April 2023, a subsequent ruling in January 2024 from the AG reversed course.
The WWE lawsuit seeks a ruling on whether the information that was released should have been released on the Texas Public Information Act.
Wrestlenomics did a great job in pursuing this information and forcing the AG to make a determination of the information based on the City of San Antonio’s objections. We have seen municipalities becoming less welcoming to disclosing information. This is likely due the negotiating process with entities which may include tax breaks and other favorable accommodations in order to get the business.
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