As he faces a mountain of legal woes, former WWE leader Vince McMahon is traveling, eating out and keeping in touch with friends and associates — including former President Donald Trump.
McMahon resigned as executive chairman of World Wrestling Entertainment’s parent company almost three months ago after a former employee, Janel Grant, accused him in a bombshell lawsuit of sexual abuse and trafficking. He denied the allegations. McMahon, 78, is also facing a federal criminal investigation, although he hasn’t been charged.
NBC News and CNBC talked to 11 people familiar with McMahon and WWE about how he’s been spending his time — and how the global brand he built over more than four decades is moving on without him. These people, including close personal associates and company insiders, declined to be named, citing ongoing legal cases and the confidential nature of internal corporate communications.
Multiple WWE insiders said he hasn’t had any contact with company leaders and figureheads since he resigned. Mark Shapiro, the operating chief of WWE parent company TKO Group Holdings, said in March that McMahon “doesn’t work for the company, doesn’t come into the office, and he’s not coming back to the company.”
That also means McMahon hasn’t talked to his son-in-law, WWE creative chief and former superstar Paul “Triple H” Levesque, or daughter, Stephanie McMahon-Levesque, regarding company matters, sources said. While she introduced WWE’s WrestleMania event earlier this month, McMahon-Levesque, who worked beside her father for more than 20 years and played roles in storylines, currently has no involvement with the company, according to people familiar with the matter. Levesque and McMahon-Levesque declined to comment through a spokesperson, as did a WWE representative.
McMahon is nonetheless indelibly linked with the wrestling outfit, which he bought from his father 42 years ago. Still, he seems to have moved on, according to multiple sources. McMahon has kept up his other routines, and it’s as if he’s unfazed by his legal fights, two sources said...More?
source: nbcnews.com
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April 17, 2024
Vince McMahon's life after WWE: Kittens, vacations and staying in touch with Trump
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Labels: Stephanie McMahon, TKO Group Holdings, Triple H, Vince McMahon, Wrestling News, WWE
April 9, 2024
WrestleMania 40 Shatters Multiple WWE Records to Become Highest-Grossing Event in Company History
WrestleMania 40 broke multiple WWE records and has become the most successful live event in the company’s history.
WrestleMania 40 took place over two nights at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, PA. Per WWE, the gate for the event was up 78% compared to the previous record set during WrestleMania 39, with 145,298 in attendance across both nights this year. The company also says viewership was up 41% versus last year, while merchandise sales — in partnership with Fanatics — was up more than 20% over last year.
But the live events on Saturday and Sunday nights are just one part of the story. WWE set up a massive presence in Philadelphia from Thursday-Monday. The company, along with Fanatics Events, hosted the WWE World experience at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, where fans could pay to get up close with authentic WWE memorabilia from their archives as well as take part in immersive experiences. This was coupled with the WWE Superstore, which featured a wide range of branded merchandise from apparel to toys and beyond.
The April 5 episode of “SmackDown” originated from the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, drawing the largest gate in “SmackDown” history. Likewise, the April 8 episode of “Monday Night Raw” drew the largest gate in “Raw” history. WWE also put on the NXT live event “Stand and Deliver” on Saturday afternoon at the Wells Fargo Center, which drew a record breaking crowd of 16,545, the most ever for an NXT event.
On social media, over 660 million views were generated across WWE’s social channels, while the WWE YouTube channel had its biggest day ever on Sunday with 67 million views in 24 hours.
WrestleMania 40 featured a number of smash hit matches, most notably the WWE Universal Championship match between Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes on Night 2. On Night 1, the two squared off with the aid of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Seth Rollins, respectively, in a tag team match that marked Johnson’s first match for WWE since 2016.
source: variety.com
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Labels: Paul Levesque Era, TKO Group Holdings, Triple H, WrestleMania, Wrestling History, Wrestling News, WWE
April 7, 2024
Stephanie McMahon rings in the Paul “Triple H” Levesque era
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8:44 PM
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Labels: Levesque Family News, Paul Levesque Era, Stephanie McMahon, Triple H, WrestleMania, Wrestling History, Wrestling News, WWE
March 31, 2024
WWE: Next Gen debuts April 1 on Roku
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Labels: Big E Langston, John Cena, Matt Bloom, Robbie Brookside, Shawn Michaels, Triple H, Wrestling News, WWE, WWE Womens Division, WWE: Next Gen
March 11, 2024
Muhammad Ali to Be Inducted Into WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2024
Ali will be inducted during the Hall of Fame ceremony taking place on April 5 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He will be inducted by his widow, Lonnie Ali. The ceremony will be livestreamed on Peacock beginning at 10 p.m. ET/9 p.m. CT.
Ali dabbled in professional wrestling at different times in his career. He famously fought an exhibition match against Japanese pro wrestling legend Antonio Inoki in Tokyo in 1976. In the leadup to that matchup, he appeared at a WWWF (now WWE) show, where he entered the ring and challenged Gorilla Monsoon. Ali would go on to appear as a special guest referee for the main event of WrestleMania I in 1985, which saw Hulk Hogan and Mr. T face off against Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorff. Ali also appeared as the guest of honor at the infamous “Collision in Korea” pay-per-view event held in North Korea in 1995.
Widely considered to be one of the best, if not the best, boxers of all time, Ali won an Olympic gold medal for the United States in boxing in 1960 and went on to become the undisputed world heavyweight champion. He holds notable wins over opponents such as Sonny Liston, Ken Norton, Joe Frazier, and George Foreman among many others. His final professional boxing match came in 1981. He finished his career with 56 wins, 5 losses, with 37 knockouts.
He was also noted for his social activism, including refusing to be drafted into the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. His refusal led to him being stripped of his heavyweight championships and being largely forced out of boxing for years.
He passed away in 2016 at the age of 74.
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Labels: Boxing, Muhammad Ali, Wrestling News, WWE, WWE Hall of Fame
March 10, 2024
WWE Sells Ring Mat Sponsorship for First Time in ‘Record-Setting’ Pact With Logan Paul’s Prime Sports Drink
On Friday, WWE announced a “record-setting” pact with Logan Paul and KSI’s Prime Hydration beverage brand to become the wrestling entertainment company’s exclusive “official hydration drink partner” and the first partner to ever appear on the center of the WWE ring.
February 2, 2024
Federal Prosecutors Investigate Vince McMahon Sex-Trafficking Allegations
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Labels: TKO Group Holdings, Vince McMahon, Wrestling News, WWE
February 1, 2024
John Laurinaitis Seemingly Confirms Vince McMahon Allegations, Says He's Also A Victim
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January 27, 2024
End Of An Era 2.0
For the first time since its inception as the Capitol Wrestling Corporation in the 1950's, the only member of the McMahon family currently with the WWE is a Levesque. End of an era.
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Labels: Endeavor, Linda McMahon, Shane McMahon, Stephanie McMahon, TKO Group Holdings, Triple H, Vince McMahon, Wrestling History, Wrestling News, WWE
January 26, 2024
Vince McMahon Resigns from Executive Roles at TKO Group Amid Legal Turmoil
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Labels: Nick Khan, TKO Group Holdings, Vince McMahon, Wrestling History, Wrestling News, WWE
January 25, 2024
Statement From TKO Group Holdings Concerning The McMahon Lawsuit
After WWE founder Vince McMahon was sued by a former employee, who alleged that he abused and sexually exploited her when he was CEO of the wrestling-entertainment company, a spokesperson for TKO Group Holdings, the parent company of WWE and UFC, said in a statement:
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5:32 PM
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WWE Founder Vince McMahon Accused of Sexual Abuse and Trafficking in Lawsuit by Former Employee
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4:26 PM
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January 23, 2024
Netflix to Become New Home of WWE Raw Beginning 2025
WWE, part of TKO Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: TKO), and Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX) today announced a long-term partnership that will bring WWE’s flagship weekly program – Raw – to the world’s leading entertainment service. This marks a major programming shift as Raw leaves linear television for the first time since its inception 31 years ago.
Beginning in January 2025, Netflix will be the exclusive new home of Raw in the U.S., Canada, U.K. and Latin America, among other territories, with additional countries and regions to be added over time. Likewise, as part of the agreement, Netflix will also become the home for all WWE shows and specials outside the U.S. as available, inclusive of Raw and WWE’s other weekly shows – SmackDown and NXT – as well as the company’s Premium Live Events, including WrestleMania, SummerSlam and Royal Rumble. WWE’s award-winning documentaries, original series and forthcoming projects will also be available on Netflix internationally beginning in 2025.
“This deal is transformative,” said Mark Shapiro, TKO President and COO. “It marries the can’t-miss WWE product with Netflix’s extraordinary global reach and locks in significant and predictable economics for many years. Our partnership fundamentally alters and strengthens the media landscape, dramatically expands the reach of WWE, and brings weekly live appointment viewing to Netflix.”
“We are excited to have WWE Raw, with its huge and passionate multigenerational fan base, on Netflix,” said Netflix Chief Content Officer, Bela Bajaria. “By combining our reach, recommendations, and fandom with WWE, we’ll be able to deliver more joy and value for their audiences and our members. Raw is the best of sports entertainment, blending great characters and storytelling with live action 52 weeks a year and we’re thrilled to be in this long-term partnership with WWE.”
“In its relatively short history, Netflix has engineered a phenomenal track record for storytelling,” said Nick Khan, WWE President. “We believe Netflix, as one of the world’s leading entertainment brands, is the ideal long-term home for Raw’s live, loyal, and ever-growing fan base.”
With 1,600 episodes to date, Raw is the most iconic show in sports entertainment. Since its debut in 1993, Raw has delivered action, compelling drama and unmatched athleticism – 52 weeks a year. Blending the best of scripted content with unpredictable live entertainment, the three-hour show has helped launch the careers of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, Triple H, John Cena, Roman Reigns, Bianca Belair and Charlotte Flair.
The show is currently the No. 1 show on USA Network, where it brings in 17.5 million unique viewers over the course of the year. One of television’s best performing shows in the 18-49 advertising demographic, Raw trends on X 52 weeks a year while each new episode is airing. On social media, WWE has more than one billion followers across its platforms.
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Labels: Raw, SmackDown, TKO Group Holdings, Wrestling News, WWE, WWE Network, WWE NXT
TKO Appoints Dwayne Johnson to Board of Directors
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Labels: The Rock, TKO Group Holdings, Wrestling News, WWE
December 27, 2023
WWE Reportedly Sets All-Time Record At Madison Square Garden Live Event
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Labels: Madison Square Garden, MD/DC/VA, Raw, SmackDown, Wrestling News, WWE, WWE NXT, WWE Womens Division
December 8, 2023
TNA Wrestling has partnered with Endeavor Streaming to deliver its global, on-demand streaming service, TNA+
TNA Wrestling (formerly IMPACT Wrestling)—a subsidiary of Anthem Sports & Entertainment and a division of Anthem Sports Group—has partnered with Endeavor Streaming to deliver its global, on-demand streaming service, TNA+, to its passionate fans, launching Friday, January 5.
November 27, 2023
WWE-UFC Merger Challenged In Lawsuit Alleging “Sham Sales Process” for Megadeal
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10:45 PM
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Labels: George Barrios, Michelle Wilson, Nick Khan, TKO Group Holdings, Triple H, UFC, Vince McMahon, Wrestling News, WWE
November 23, 2023
Paul “Triple H” Levesque Offers Inside Look At WWE Storytelling
"Book what people want to see and feel...More?
source: si.com
November 7, 2023
The CW Network To Become The Exclusive Broadcast Home To WWE NXT
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Labels: Shawn Michaels, Television Ratings, Triple H, Wrestling News, WWE NXT
October 31, 2023
IMPACT Will Rebrand As TNA Wrestling In Jan 2024
TORONTO | CHICAGO – October 21, 2023 – Anthem Sports & Entertainment, a global, multi-platform media company, announced today that its professional wrestling company, IMPACT Wrestling, is returning to its iconic Total Nonstop Action (TNA) Wrestling name, at “Hard To Kill,” its first pay-per-view event of 2024, which will originate for the first time ever from the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada.
TNA will launch 2024 with Hard To Kill on Saturday, January 13, with a second night of action-packed professional wrestling – the “Snake Eyes Extravaganza Show” – at The Palms on Sunday, January 14. The Snake Eyes Extravaganza Show will be taped to air on the company’s flagship weekly TV show, Impact!, airing every Thursday night on AXS TV (8 p.m. EST).
“We still hear the ‘TNA’ chants wherever we go,” said IMPACT Wrestling President Scott D’Amore. “Fans have longed for TNA Wrestling, so that’s what we’re bringing back in 2024: TNA Wrestling, we’re back!”