WWE
Bad Bunny Faces Off Against Himself in WWE-Style Promo for ‘Saturday Night Live’
Bad Bunny has a few choice insults for himself in the first promo for his upcoming episode of Saturday Night Live. The singer and actor is set to make his hosting debut for the Oct. 21 episode and will also serve as musical guest. Bad Bunny was previously the musical guest for a season 46 […]
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Wall Street Plays Ball: Sports Leagues in Demand for Investors
One hundred years ago, in August 1923, the Green Bay Packers football club was formed in a public stock sale. The Packers sold 1,000 shares at $5 apiece, raising $5,000 (about $90,000 today, adjusted for inflation). The team has held five stock sales since then, in 1935, 1950, 1997, 2011 and 2021, but despite raising […]
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WWE ‘SmackDown’ Leaving Fox for USA Next Year, as ‘Raw’ Hits the Market
In a significant shakeup of pro wrestling programming, WWE SmackDown will leave Fox and jump to USA Network, beginning in October 2024. In addition, the WWE will produce four primetime specials per year, which will air in primetime on the NBC broadcast network. SmackDown will debut on USA in October 2024, with the NBC specials […]
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Endeavor Closes UFC, WWE Merger, Creating Powerhouse Firm TKO Group
Endeavor Group Holdings’ mixed martial arts promotion UFC and the sports entertainment powerhouse WWE are now officially a tag team, closing a mega-combination that they had unveiled in early April. “We’re ready to fire out of the gate,” says Mark Shapiro, Endeavor’s president and COO, who will hold the same title at the combined company, TKO Group. With […]
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Bray Wyatt, WWE Superstar, Dies at 36
Bray Wyatt, a professional wrestler and superstar at World Wrestling Entertainment, has died. He was 36. WWE executive Triple H announced Wyatt’s death, whose real name was Windham Rotunda, on X (formerly known as Twitter) Thursday. “Just received a call from WWE Hall of Famer Mike Rotunda who informed us of the tragic news that our WWE family […]
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How All Elite Wrestling Is Taking on WWE: A Q&A With CEO Tony Khan on the State of the Business
Tony Khan was a lifelong pro wrestling fan when he founded All Elite Wrestling (AEW) in 2019 as CEO and president, looking to take on sports entertainment titan WWE. The promotion quickly emerged as a powerhouse challenger, putting on regular pay-pay-view events and starting weekly TV shows later in 2019. After expanding its TV output […]
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WWE Posts Record Revenue Amid “Most Successful” WrestleMania, Ratings and Attendance Gains
Sports entertainment powerhouse WWE, which has agreed to merge with Endeavor’s UFC to create a live sports and entertainment titan, reported higher second-quarter earnings and record revenue on Wednesday, exceeding Wall Street expectations for several financial metrics. The performance was powered by a record-breaking WrestleMania in early April, as well as higher viewership and live events ticket […]
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Judge Slams WWE’s Defense In Antitrust Lawsuit That Claims League Monopolizes Media Rights Market
A federal judge has found “circumstantial evidence” that WWE has monopolized the market for media rights to professional wrestling. Rejecting a bid to dismiss an antitrust suit from rival outfit Major League Wrestling, U.S. District Judge Edward Davila on Thursday concluded that WWE could’ve violated antitrust laws by insisting on exclusivity agreements with media partners. […]
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WWE Touts Nearly 90M U.S. Fans as CEO Says “It’s Time to Monetize” With New TV Deals
Sports entertainment powerhouse WWE, which is planning to merge with Endeavor’s UFC, has been touting positive TV ratings trends and strong ticket sales for its live events. Now, a new data point shows that the number of Americans aged 8 and over who are identifying as WWE fans has also continued to grow. In 2022, […]
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Superstar Billy Graham, Influential Pro Wrestler, Dies at 79
Superstar Billy Graham, the professional wrestler whose larger-than-life ring persona and charismatic style was hugely influential on the likes of Hulk Hogan, Steve Austin, Jesse Ventura and Ric Flair, has died. He was 79. In a tweet, Flair confirmed that Graham had died. “The Superstar Billy Graham just left us. Thank you for all your […]
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WWE Touts Higher Ratings, Rights Fees and Ticket Sales, But Earnings Drop on Saudi Event Timing
Sports entertainment powerhouse WWE, which recently agreed to merge with Endeavor’s UFC to create a live sports and entertainment titan, reported lower first-quarter earnings and revenue on Wednesday, but both exceeded Wall Street expectations. While its business was propelled by higher media rights fees, as well as improved viewership and live events ticket sales, the […]
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UFC+WWE: A Combustible Combo, With a Fighting Chance at Becoming a Powerhouse
UFC president Dana White celebrated the landmark $21 billion deal to merge his mixed martial arts promotion with the WWE by sitting ringside (Octagonside?) with a trio of WWE hall of famers at UFC 287, which was held at the Kaseya Center in Miami on April 8. White was the center of attention, thanks in no small […]
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