This is a whirlwind of the era of becoming a professional wrestling fan.
I’m sitting here in front of my computer. A 36-year-old sports writer, he has been a fan of professional wrestling for 30 years and is now a participant. And I’m still worried about the news that Vince McMahon, CEO and Chairman of World Wrestling Entertainment, turned 77 in August and quit his job at the company. The news comes from the Wall Street Journal, where McMahon paid up to $ 12 million in hash money to several former WWE female employees allegedly having a relationship with McMahon, who married a former US Small and Medium Business Secretary. Linda McMahon, Secretary of the Small and Medium Business Administration, has been harassed for nearly 56 years, or over time, in the midst of a scandal resulting from the report. WWE is reportedly following up on internal investigations.
If Vince McMahon really ends up in professional wrestling, or sports entertainment he likes to build, we as professional wrestling fans are left with the main question to ponder: his legacy What is it?
Vince McMahon was my Walt Disney. Through the physical storytelling of professional wrestling, he brought happiness to multiple generations of children and adults. He is the largest wrestling promoter in business history, and it’s not even discussed. When he acquired the then World Wrestling Federation from his father Vince J. McMahon in 1982, Vince K. McMahon found a way to do regional wrestling promotions in the northeast and monopolize the business through cable television. Turned wrestling into a necessity-watch TV. He invented the Business Super Bowl with the birth of WrestleMania in 1985. Hulk Hogan may have brought fans to the building, but it was McMahon who invented the epidemic that became “Hulk Hogan.”
After a down period, cool wrestling again in the “Attitude Era” in the late 1990s with quirky characters such as “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Undertaker, Triple H, Sean. It was McMahon who helped Michaels, Mick Foley and others give the product in the ring an edge. The wrestler did it in the ring, but McMahon was a guide behind the scenes during that period. WWE closed its only rival, World Championship Wrestling, in 2001 and won the famous “Monday Night Wars”. The business of ticket sales, merchandise sales and pay-per-view purchases has grown like never before. Its success will help make WWE a publicly traded company in October 1999.
In short, Vince McMahon helped WWE become McDonald’s sports entertainment. As a teenager in the late 90’s and early 2000’s, I was completely on board.
However, there was a lot of controversy along the way. There was a steroid trial from 1993 to 1994 when McMahon was charged in federal court for distributing performance-enhancing drugs to his performers. McMahon was later acquitted by a jury trial, but although he was not given steroids by McMahon, his reputation and business remained damaged in the process as several wrestlers testified to the use of steroids.
Vince McMahon resigned as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of World Wrestling Entertainment on Friday. McMahon purchased WWE from his father Vincent J. McMahon in 1982. AP photo
My generation certainly remembers the death of wrestler Owen Hart at the “Over the Edge” show in Kansas City, Missouri, in May 1999. Hart, who was passing by the gimmick “Blue Blazer” dressed as a superhero, was supposed to be lowered from the ceiling to the ring as part of the entrance. Hart came off the safety harness, fell nearly 80 feet and collided with his ring. Hart was taken to a local hospital, but he was declared dead shortly at the age of 34. Commentator Jim Ross announced Hart’s death on the air, but McMahon decided to continue the show after thousands had just witnessed it in the arena (Hart’s fall ring treatment aired). did not). McMahon was severely criticized for his decision.
McMahon was open about many of his unfaithfulness during his marriage, especially in a 20o1 interview with a playboy, admitting multiple things at once.
With the current state of WWE programming, it’s indisputable, but it faces creative challenges. WWE currently has top stars such as Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch, but these top stars have been criticized for not attracting fans like Austin, Rock and The Undertaker. WWE has also always embraced the big names of the past (Rock, Goldberg, Brock Lesnar, Austin) as an attraction to guarantee ticket sales.
I don’t think Vince McMahon has completely ended up at WWE, the company he’s been involved with since 1969 (interestingly, McMahon’s first professional wrestling card was in Bangor, Maine in 1971). He may be done on the corporate side of his work. However, under the new administration, his daughter Stephanie McMahon was announced Friday as co-CEO with Nick Khan, and her son-in-law Paul “Triple H” Levesque was once again appointed Executive Vice President of Talent Relations. rice field. Think he can still be used as a consultant, especially when it comes to writing weekly shows and future stories. In the worst case, McMahon still has daily influence through interaction with his family.
It is undeniable that McMahon has given to the professional wrestling business for many years. Watch WWE for the shows he invented (Monday Night RAW, Friday Night Smackdown) and respect the characters he pushed. His company and his shows and live events have given many good memories for decades.
But like many well-known athletes and celebrities, McMahon has a number of flaws that we can’t forget. In particular, as it is today, there are the latest flaws that may keep him out of the limelight forever.
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