There are plenty of great wrestling cities in the United States. New York, Philadelphia and Boston immediately come to mind.
In recent years, WWE’s aggressive international expansion has introduced American fans to passionate audiences in places like Perth, Mexico City and Lyon, France.
As passionate, and at times entertaining, as those crowds are, none of them quite match Chicago.
I grew up in the Chicago area and have experienced wrestling there as both a fan and a journalist. There is something different about wrestling in Chicago, from the people in the seats to the history inside the buildings.
Here are three reasons why Chicago is the best wrestling city in the world.
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1. The Fans
Chicago wrestling fans are passionate, loyal and, perhaps most importantly, honest.
If they love you, they will make you feel like the biggest star in the world. If they don’t, they’ll let you know that too.
That directness fits the city. Chicago is hardworking, diverse and down to earth, and its wrestling crowds reflect that personality. Fans know the product, appreciate great wrestling and aren’t afraid to tell a promotion exactly what they think.
That unpredictability creates an atmosphere you can’t manufacture. A Chicago crowd doesn’t simply watch the show. Without hijacking it (most of the time, at least), it becomes part of the show.
The wrestlers in the ring feel that energy, and the fans watching at home can feel it through the screen.
2. The History
You can feel wrestling history in Chicago.
WrestleMania has come through the Chicago area multiple times, most notably WrestleMania 13, where Bret Hart and “Stone Cold” Steve Austin produced one of the most iconic matches in wrestling history. WrestleMania 22 delivered plenty of history of its own, from Edge spearing Mick Foley through a flaming table to Mickie James defeating Trish Stratus and Rey Mysterio winning his first World Heavyweight Championship.
Money in the Bank 2011 added, in my opinion, the defining moment when CM Punk defeated John Cena for the WWE Championship in front of an unforgettable hometown crowd, which I was fortunate enough to be part of (on the camera side, too!)
That history continues with major WWE, AEW and other wrestling events regularly coming through the area.
Honestly, it’s bigger than wrestling. Chicago is America’s greatest sports city. Michael Jordan’s Bulls, Walter Payton and the ’85 Bears, the Cubs at Wrigley Field, the White Sox and the Blackhawks are all part of the city’s identity. Sports history is always in the air, and professional wrestling fits naturally into it.
3. The Location
Chicago also happens to be perfectly built for major wrestling events.
Its central location makes it accessible from both coasts and everywhere in between. O’Hare and Midway provide countless flight options for fans and talent, while the region has no shortage of hotels, restaurants and entertainment.
Then there is Chicago itself.
The skyline, lakefront, architecture and distinct neighborhoods give traveling fans something worth experiencing beyond the wrestling show. You can build an entire weekend around an event.
The Numbers Prove Chicago Is a Wrestling City
WWE and AEW don’t keep coming back to Chicago just because it’s a great place to visit. They come back because Chicago does wrestling business. Wrestling fans in Chicago move the numbers — and for promoters, that’s the most important piece.
Survivor Series 2023 is a perfect example. WWE announced 17,138 fans at Allstate Arena and said the show produced the highest gate, viewership and merchandise sales in the event’s 37-year history. Pollstar later reported more than 16,500 tickets sold and a $2.24 million gate. The SmackDown held in the same building the night before sold nearly 15,800 tickets of its own.
AEW has seen it, too. More than 16,000 fans packed the United Center for the inaugural Forbidden Door in 2022, and Chicago has remained a regular destination for the company.
Promoters don’t repeatedly bring major shows to a market unless the market gives them a reason to come back, and Chicago has been doing that for generations.
What I’m most looking forward to about the Bears eventually getting a new stadium is the possibility of WrestleMania finally returning to Chicago. Whether that stadium ends up in Illinois or across the state line in Indiana remains to be seen, but it has been more than 20 years since WrestleMania 22. The best wrestling city in the world deserves another one.
