More than 14,000 professional wrestling fans filled Louis Armstrong Stadium in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park on Sunday for All Elite Wrestling's "Double or Nothing" pay-per-view event.
Many attendees from Long Island were attracted by lower ticket prices and local performers, including Plainview native MJF.
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The high cost of rival promotion WWE has turned some local enthusiasts toward AEW, according to Newsday.
Entry-level tickets for the Queens event cost $35, contrasting with recent price hikes from other wrestling companies.
Josh Danishefsky, 34, of Massapequa, attended with his brother Matt after being deterred by high ticket costs at Madison Square Garden.
"Our mom tried to ban it from us," said Danishefsky. "It didn't work."
He noted that current alternatives had become financially inaccessible for regular spectators.
"WWE is just out of control," he said. "It makes a big difference in feeling like you can actually be part of the [AEW] product."
Pete Cahill, 34, of Mastic, traveled via Long Island Rail Road with a friend to watch the homegrown talent headlining the card.
"That's the essence of loving Long Island," said Cahill. "You are being a little sarcastic, but you do love it that much.
Because he's from Long Island, he captures that perfectly. ...
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Everybody knows an MJF."
His companion, Ryan Jones, 33, of Coram, highlighted the financial barrier in competing wrestling events.
