How WWE started a sports tradition: 'Everything about it says you’re a champion'

If you were one of the roughly 102 million people who watched Super Bowl LIV earlier this month, it would have been hard to ignore WWE’s fingerprints on the biggest event in sports.

Sure, one explanation would be that Fox — which broadcast the game — recently signed a multi-billion dollar deal with Vince McMahon’s company, but the influence goes deeper than simple corporate synergy. Although commercials and promotional spots for “Smackdown” were present throughout the NFL season, the biggest example of the crossover came when former WWE star Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson did the Super Bowl LIV pre-game introductions for both the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs.

While no one would question handing this task to one of the biggest movie stars in the world, Johnson essentially going back two decades and cutting a vintage “Rock” promo for the two teams illustrates how much WWE has infiltrated professional sports. Just ask George Kittle, arguably San Francisco’s best and most recognizable player. His love for professional wrestling manifests itself on and off the field, earning him the nickname “The People’s Tight End.”

The rise in popularity didn’t happen overnight, but as WWE became more popular among a newer generation of athletes, the company leaned into it and began what has become one of the signature moments in sports.

“When you meet athletes over the years, they would see the championship belt and ask if they could hold it and ask if it was the actual title,” Paul “Triple H” Levesque, WWE’s executive vice president of talent, live events and creative, told Yahoo Sports. “You’d see these reactions and these moments and you had these opportunities. The WWE title started to symbolize being this over-the-top champion. It’s a little hard with a trophy, but with a title belt I can hold it up in the air, I can wear it around my waist, I can parade around with it. Everything about it says you’re a champion when you have one.”

The birth of a championship tradition

A 14-time heavyweight champion with WWE, Levesque described how the company reached the point where their championships have become like a second trophy for sports teams across the globe. It’s not the Lombardi Trophy or the Stanley Cup, but the WWE championship belt has become one of the most visible parts of celebrations in recent years.

What began as a simple, quiet gesture quickly evolved into a cultural phenomenon.

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XFL Announces Team Names & Logos

The XFL has announced the team names and logos for all eight franchises for the league.

The league held a press conference on Wednesday to make the announcement. WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon, who owns the XFL, didn’t appear.

The eight teams will be held in the following cities: New York, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, St. Louis, Seattle, Tampa Bay, and Washington D.C.

The league will launch in 2020 on Saturday, February 8 just after the NFL’s Super Bowl. The games will air on ESPN, FOX, ABC, and FS1. Here are the team names:

– St. Louis Battle Hawks

– Tampa Bay Vipers

– New York Guardians

– Seattle Dragons

– Los Angeles Wildcats

– D.C. Defenders [Washington]

– Houston Roughnecks

– Dallas Renegades

Eight Cities Revealed For XFL Relaunch, More Cities Considered For The Future?, XFL League Advisers

A "Contact Us" page on the XFL website has revealed all 8 cities that will host teams for the inaugural season in 2020. It looks like the pages were edited after the leak.

The following 8 cities were revealed:

* Dallas, Texas
* Houston, Texas
* Los Angeles, California
* New York (could be NY/NJ region but phone number was New York City)
* St. Louis, Missouri
* Seattle, Washington
* Tampa Bay, Florida
* Washington, DC

As we've noted, XFL has announced that they will reveal the 8 cities along with venues on Wednesday, December 5 at noon EST. It's been confirmed that the press conference will take place at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ, the site of WrestleMania 35.

In related news, it looks like there could be plans to expand to other major cities once the inaugural season has wrapped. DomainNameWire.com reports that the league registered several domain names for potential host cities and regions earlier this week. The domains use the format of XFLCity.com, CityXFL.com and XFLCityAbbreviation.com. For example, they registered XFLChicago.com, ChicagoXFL.com and XFLCHI.com.

The 21 cities or regions that they registered domains for are: Atlanta, Austin, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas/Arlington, Detroit, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Minnesota, Nashville, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, San Francisco, Seattle, St. Louis, Washington DC, Tampa Bay.

These locations could be a sign of where they plan to expand to with future seasons or places that have been under consideration. All 8 cities revealed for the inaugural season are included in the list of domains registered this week.

On a related note, the XFL website also lists several Advisers that will be working with the league. They are:

* Jim Caldwell - former NFL Head Coach (Detroit Lions, Indianapolis Colts)

* John Fox - former NFL Head Coach (Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, Denver Broncos)

* Doug Flutie - former NFL, CFL & USFL Quarterback, NBC/NBCSN Analyst

* Donna Orender - WNBA President from 2005-2010

* John Kosner - President of Kosner Media, 20-Year ESPN veteran

* Kevin Guskiewicz - Dean of Arts & Science at UNC, Member of the NFL Head, Neck & Spine Committee

Vince McMahon's Alpha Entertainment Logo Opposed By Adidas

Several of the companies owned by clothing & sneaker brand Adidas have asked the United States Patent & Trademark Office for more time to oppose the logo registered by Vince McMahon's Alpha Entertainment, which was created to relaunch the XFL in 2020. The argument is that the Alpha Entertainment logo could be seen as infringing on the Adidas logo. Adidas has until March 6, 2019 to file an opposition or ask for another extension.

Stephanie McMahon On List Of Most Influential Women In Sports

Stephanie McMahon is more than the Billion Dollar Princess we see on television. Aside from her duties as Commissioner Of Raw, she is also WWE's Chief Brand Officer and appears on the company's behalf on a regular basis.

McMahon is featured in AdWeek's list of 30 Most Influential Women In Sports. The feature mentions McMahon's participation in WrestleMania 34 and her match tagging with Triple H against Ronda Rousey and Kurt Angle. It was noted WrestleMania 34 broke the record for highest-grossing entertainment show at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome with $14.1 million.

It was also mentioned how WWE continues to strengthen their influence on women's sports entertainment by growing the status of women in the company. Rousey's signing put a huge spotlight on the Women's Division, and WWE nearly doubled the roster of female Superstars in the past three years. WWE has also hired three female coaches and a female referee.

Mattel's line of WWE Superstar Barbie Dolls was noted as an accomplishment as well. Due to these increased efforts to focus on women, WWE's female fan base is said to have increased by 40%.

Charlotte Flair To Appear In ESPN's Annual Body Issue

SmackDown Live superstar Charlotte Flair will appear in ESPN's 10th annual Body issue, celebrating the athletic form when it hits newsstands June 29. 

Flair will appear with fellow athletes from various sports, celebrating athletics and healthy bodies by posing in tastefully naked poses. 

Taking to Twitter, the former Women's Champion said it was a huge honour to be selected.

RAW superstar Ronda Rousey posed for the magazine in 2012, during her time with UFC.

The announced athletes taking part will be:

Charlotte Flair (WWE superstar)Saquon Barkley (American Footballer, NY Giants)Adam Rippon (Olympic Figure Skater)Megan Rapinoe (American Soccer Player, Seattle Reign)Breanna Stewart (Basketball Player, Seattle Storm)Sue Bird (Basketball Player, Seattle Storm)Jerry Rice (Retired American Footballer)Greg Norman (Golfer)Jessie Diggins (Cross Country Skier)Tori Bowie (Track and field Athlete)Karl-Anthony Towns (Basketball Player, Minnesota Timberwolves)Dallas Keuchel (Baseball player, Houston Astros)Yasiel Puig (Baseball player, Los Angeles Dodgers)Laura Chamberlain (Softball player)Crystal Dunn (American Soccer Player)Zlatan Ibrahimovic (European Football player, LA Galaxy)

Andrew Luck’s Father Named Commissioner of the XFL

Vince McMahon is committed to proving that his professional football league will be a serious venture the second time around, and he has hired an executive to oversee the league that should help accomplish that goal.

Oliver Luck, the father of Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck, revealed on Tuesday that he has been named the commissioner of the XFL.

“The XFL will be a labor of love as I get to combine my experiences as a player and executive,” Luck told ESPN’s Adam Schefter. “I’m thrilled to have this unique opportunity to reimagine the game that has been a constant in my life for 40 years.”

Luck currently holds a position with the NCAA where he oversees the Eligibility Center. His responsibilities include keeping tabs on eligibility requirements and academic affairs, but he will leave that job immediately and relocate to the XFL’s headquarters in Connecticut.

Luck, a former quarterback who played for the Houston Oilers and was inducted into the West Virginia University Hall of Fame, is a big hire for McMahon. He previously served as the president of NFL Europe and was the athletic director for four years at WVU, so he has plenty of experience in the field.

WWE sends a scout to Penn State Pro Day

In listing those who attended Wednesday’s Pro Day, the Penn State football program revealed some unusual information: A scout from World Wrestling Entertainment was in attendance.

That came as a surprise and raised immediate questions about which player or players the WWE scout was looking at. There’s been some speculation that the WWE scout could have been looking for XFL players, but that seems unlikely: The XFL isn’t launching for two more years, and Vince McMahon has made clear that the XFL is his own separate venture, not an arm of the WWE.

More likely, the WWE just wants to get a better handle on the kinds of big, strong, athletic men who are going to be looking for work in the months ahead. It’s highly unlikely that a player who’s good enough to get drafted could be lured away by the WWE, but there are plenty of players at Pro Day workouts who aren’t going to make it to the NFL. It makes sense for the WWE to look at those players.

Vince McMahon’s XFL Revival Faces Early Competition From New Football League

WWE's chairman and chief executive Vince McMahon already has an opponent in drawing away NFL's football fans, and it comes from a surprising name: Charlie Ebersol. Not only did Charlie's father, and longtime NBC executive, Dick help Vince launch the original XFL 17 years ago, but the younger Ebersol directed the recent ESPN 30 for 30 documentary on the original failed launch of the XFL. Today, Ebersol announced the formation of the Alliance of American Football.

After political protests by NFL players and concussion injuries gained recent attention, ratings for the league fell by 17 percent. Perhaps seizing on this environment, McMahon announced this past January that he'd revive the XFL (backed by $100 million in stock he sold). He emphasized a more family-friendly stance than the previous XFL, downplaying the sexy cheerleaders and violence of the original league and adhering more to the current PG-era of the WWE. He also stressed nonpolitical actions during games and employing players without criminal backgrounds.

Ebersol's announcement of his Alliance for American Football league also might mean McMahon's plan will come too late. Whereas Vince wants to revamp the XFL in in early 2020, his rival scheduled his launch for February 9, 2019 on CBS, soon after the next Super Bowl.

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FDA Authorizes Marketing Of First Blood Test To Aid In The Evaluation Of Concussion In Adults

The FDA has released the following news which will no doubt have an affect on the way WWE, the NFL and other sports institutions handle concussion treatment:

FDA authorizes marketing of first blood test to aid in the evaluation of concussion in adults

New quick testing option to help reduce need for CT scans, radiation exposure for patient

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today permitted marketing of the first blood test to evaluate mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), commonly referred to as concussion, in adults. The FDA reviewed and authorized for marketing the Banyan Brain Trauma Indicator in fewer than 6 months as part of its Breakthrough Devices Program.

Most patients with a suspected head injury are examined using a neurological scale, called the 15-point Glasgow Coma Scale, followed by a computed tomography or CT scan of the head to detect brain tissue damage, or intracranial lesions, that may require treatment; however, a majority of patients evaluated for mTBI/concussion do not have detectable intracranial lesions after having a CT scan. Availability of a blood test for concussion will help health care professionals determine the need for a CT scan in patients suspected of having mTBI and help prevent unnecessary neuroimaging and associated radiation exposure to patients.

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Vince McMahon: XFL to return in 2020 without gimmicks

WWE founder and chairman Vince McMahon announced Thursday he is giving a professional football league another go.

It will be called the XFL, the same name of the league McMahon and NBC tried for one season in 2001, but it won't rely on flashy cheerleaders and antics as its predecessor did, he said.

McMahon said he is the sole funding source for the league, which is slated to begin in January 2020. Its first season will have eight teams around the country playing a 10-week schedule. The initial outlay of money is expected to be around $100 million, the same amount of WWE stock McMahon sold last month and funneled into Alpha Entertainment, the company he founded for the project.

"I wanted to do this since the day we stopped the other one," McMahon told ESPN in an exclusive interview. "A chance to do it with no partners, strictly funded by me, which would allow me to look in the mirror and say, 'You were the one who screwed this up,' or 'You made this thing a success.'"

One mark of the new league, McMahon said, will be faster games. The ideal running time, he said, would be two hours.

As for the timing of the announcement, two years before the league's debut, many might point to McMahon's relationship with President Donald Trump, who this fall criticized the NFL for allowing its players to kneel and sit during the national anthem. McMahon said players in his league will not be given the forum to take a personal stance while on the playing field. McMahon's wife, Linda, heads the Small Business Administration in Trump's Cabinet.

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WWE Discovers Baron Corbin Is Involved In A Major NFL Concussion Lawsuit

We reported recently that Baron Corbin's sudden burial from Mr. Money In The Bank and subsequent removal from the WWE SmackDown Live main event picture was in part due to a recent incident backstage incident in which Corbin got into an argument with Dr. Maroon who was giving the talent a talk on the connection between CTE and concussions. 

We can now reveal via Wrestling Observer Newsletter that WWE learned in the last month that Corbin is involved in a rather high profile lawsuit against the NFL. For those unaware Corbin is a former National Football League (NFL) player who played offensive line for both the Indianapolis Colts and Arizona Cardinals.  

The exchange between Corbin and the Dr. was said to be 'awkward’ and ‘uncomfortable’ with many in the room feeling Corbin should have aired his concerns away from everybody else in private.

In addition, Corbin has existing heat on him for the way he was conducting himself on twitter in regardings to fans and fellow professional wrestlers, including an army veteran who he later apologized to. 

Triple H On Ronda Rousey Being Interested In WWE, What WWE Can Learn From Mayweather Vs. McGre

WWE's Triple H recently made an appearance on ESPN's First Take to promote the Mae Young Classic Tournament. You can check out the highlights from "The Game's" interview here below:

What WWE can learn from the promotion behind Mayweather vs. McGregor:

"I think from a promotional standpoint they did a lot of things right. They found two personalities and that's really what this is all about. Floyd will be the first guy to tell you that it's personalities that sells fights, it's what he does, he changed himself from 'Pretty Boy Floyd' to 'Money Mayweather' and that was based around WWE and the culture of changing Hulk Hogan to 'Hollywood Hulk Hogan,' and reinventing yourself. He invented that persona. McGregor created a persona, a lot of it having to do around what, kind of, WWE does and also what Mayweather does.

"When you have personalities like that and you put them in a ring with that type of conflict - it's what we do no a daily basis. But they did it very well. It was a moment in time that I don't think you can replicate. The great things is, I think what people where afraid of was that it wouldn't deliver. I think it did deliver. I think people got an entertaining 10 round fight, it ended up where the educated person would imagine that it'd end up, but I think it was entertaining and it delivered on a lot of levels."

Who he thinks would have the biggest potential for WWE Superstardom: LaVar Ball or Rob Gronkowski:

"LaVar Ball certainly has a pension for winding people up and wanting to see people beat him. I think that's an important factor, but you never know what's going to connect to people. Those personalities - when you look at McGregor, you look at Ronda Rousey, you look at Gronk, you look at LaVar Ball - all those people, what connects them is personalities. Whether you love them or hate them, those personalities drive people. They create a connection and that's really what people pay to see. They're a very few pure boxing fans in the world, there are very few pure MMA aficionados in the world, there are very few pure WWE or NBA or NFL that really admire the intricacies of all that stuff. The personalities drive them, whether that be the team or the individuals."

What are the chances Ronda Rousey could end up in WWE and what could she bring to the table:

"Ronda has been a huge fan of WWE her whole life, she has been very adamant about that. She has done plenty of stuff with us before, I think you're watching a clip of her throwing me that I don't know why you're showing, but yeah she tends to throw me around when I see her - but she's a huge fan. I think she's a huge fan and I think it's something she's definitely interested - I'll throw it out right now, if she's interested I'll give her the opportunity. But we're all about personalities and that's what she brings to the table. I think she has shown it, and you have seen, she has shown it in Hollywood, she has shown it everywhere. Her personality would drive fan interest."

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Stephanie McMahon Named As A 2017 Game Changer By The Sports Business Journal

Thirty-five women in leadership roles touching nearly every sector of the sports industry from coast to coast have been selected for recognition this fall as part of SportsBusiness Journal/Daily’s annual Game Changers program.

Game Changers, which debuted in 2011, recognizes women in the industry who have broad, deep and varied responsibilities and who are contributing to the success of the industry in myriad ways.

These 35 women will be featured in the Sept. 11 issue of SportsBusiness Journal. They also will be celebrated on Thursday, Sept. 14, in New York at the annual Game Changers: Women in Sports Business conference.

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Former Steeler DeAngelo Williams to try his hand at pro wrestling

I guess while former Pittsburgh Steelers running back DeAngelo Williams waits for his next NFL opportunity, he’s going to keep himself busy. According to Brian Campbell of CBS Sports, Williams is going to make his professional wrestling debut on something called Impact Wrestling on July 2.

Williams is expected to enter the ring at Impact’s Slammiversary XV pay-per-view on July 2 in Orlando, Florida. Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter reported that Williams will compete alongside Moose in a tag team match against Chris Adonis and Eli Drake

Williams is an 11-year NFL veteran who spent the last three seasons with the Steelers. He has been an integral part of the offense in place of Le’Veon Bell, but Pittsburgh seems to have moved forward at the running back position. They signed Knile Davis in the offseason and drafted James Conner.

Eric LeGrand to receive Warrior Award at 2017 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

Eric LeGrand, a former standout for the Rutgers University football team-turned-motivational speaker, has been named the recipient of the third annual Warrior Award. The news was first reported by ESPN.com.

Named after WWE Hall of Famer Ultimate Warrior, The Warrior Award is presented to an individual who has exhibited unwavering strength and perseverance, and who lives life with the courage and compassion that embodies the indomitable spirit of Ultimate Warrior.

The award will be presented to LeGrand by Dana Warrior, widow of Ultimate Warrior, at the 2017 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, which will broadcast from Orlando, Florida’s Amway Center live on WWE Network at 8 ET/5 PT on Friday, March 31. USA Network will also broadcast a special presentation of the ceremony on Monday, April 3 at 11 p.m. ET/PT, immediately following Raw.

LeGrand was a key player on the Rutgers University football team, before a spinal cord injury sustained during a game in October 2010 left him paralyzed from the neck down. LeGrand’s tremendous courage and unwavering strength throughout his rehabilitation captured the attention of the nation. He resumed his college classes via Skype and launched his sports broadcasting career as an analyst for Rutgers Football Radio Network. LeGrand founded the charity Team LeGrand of the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation in 2013, and is now a highly sought-after motivational speaker. In support of LeGrand’s mission – raising funds for research to find a cure for paralysis and to help improve the quality of life for people with spinal cord injuries – WWE will make a $25,000 donation to Team LeGrand.

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Triple H Interview With Yahoo Sports

Joel Embiid introduced pro wrestling style for Friday's game

Another night, another viral moment for Sixers rookie Joel Embiid.

A day after pro wrestling icon Triple H responded to Embiid's recent Twitter tribute to push the young center's All-Star campaign, "The Process" returned the favor by borrowing his intro routine for Friday's game against Charlotte.

Embiid, who is averaging 19.4 points and 7.5 rebounds, is currently fourth in Eastern Conference frontcourt voting. The top three players will start in this year's game, set for Feb. 19 at Smoothie King Arena in New Orleans.

UPDATE: Triple H offered up a critique to what has to be his tallest fan.

Still have to perfect the water-to-spit ratio...Not bad for a first attempt. #MopTheFloor#NBAVote Joel Embiid https://t.co/mjaNcStuZt

— Triple H (@TripleH) January 14, 2017

Trailer Released For ESPN's “This Was The XFL” Documentary

ESPN has released a trailer for the upcoming 30 for 30 documentary “This Was the XFL” which will air on February 2nd at 9 p.m. ET.

XFL was a professional American football league founded by WWE owner Vince McMahon in 1999. It launched in 2001 with eight teams with the intention of being a major professional sports league complement to the offseason of the National Football League. It was unable to find an audience and ceased operation after its debut season in 2001. The XFL was widely viewed as a "colossal failure".

Below is the documentary trailer:

#30for30 returns in February with #ThisWasTheXFL! pic.twitter.com/G1Fd714tLF

— ESPN Films 30 for 30 (@30for30) December 12, 2016

Baron Corbin Talks WWE World Title, Using His Physical Tools To Dominate, Triple H And WWE NXT, More

In this week's ESPN "Off The Top Rope" segment with Jonathan Coachman interviews Baron Corbin:

Coach asks about winning the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal at WrestleMania 32. Corbin says he's walked out of NFL tunnels in front of large crowds but the WrestleMania experience was surreal. Corbin says the walk to the ring was unbelievable and seemed like the longest walk of his life. Corbin has tried explaining the feeling to people but he can't. He says you spend a lifetime chasing that feeling because it was so unreal.

Regarding WWE NXT, Corbin says they started with a small group of guys in Tampa until Triple H got on-board and wanted to take them to another level. Corbin praises Triple H for building the WWE Performance Center and giving talents the tools they need to make it. Corbin says the Superstars took Triple H's efforts to heart and took it as a challenge to really become something special. Corbin say everyone has put in a ton of work and grind non-stop to make NXT what it is today.

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