
Ohio continues to play a key role in professional wrestling, proving to be a profitable destination for both WWE and AEW through state tax credit programs. The Ohio Department of Development recently released its latest figures, revealing how much both companies are set to benefit.
AEW was awarded $2,134,560 in tax credits for productions spanning 2025 and 2026. This marks a significant increase from the $1.275 million received in the previous cycle covering 2024 and 2025. WWE also collected tax credits, bringing in $1,096,941 for events this year and next. That figure is slightly lower than the $1.7 million the company earned last year, boosted by the massive SummerSlam event held in Cleveland in August 2024.
Both promotions have been active in Ohio throughout 2025. AEW has made stops in Cleveland and Cincinnati and is scheduled for Columbus in December for an episode of Collision as well as ROH Final Battle from GalaxyCon. However, the state has yet to host one of AEW’s pay-per-view events. WWE, meanwhile, has already held Raw in Cleveland and Columbus, plus SmackDown in Cleveland, with another SmackDown set for Cincinnati in October.
The pro wrestling tax credits come as part of a much larger package. In total, Ohio allocated $46 million to film and television productions, including major awards for projects such as Spain Thief ($10.5 million), Ten Cent ($3.6 million), and The Guest List ($3 million).
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