PWInsider.com has confirmed that Matt Bloom aka Jason Albert, formerly Tensai, has been named the interim Head Trainer and will take over DeMott's duties at the Performance Center and WWE developmental. Whether he is named to that position permanently will remain to be seen.
The change to Bloom was announced via an email from Mark Carano of WWE Talent Relations to the developmental roster shortly after DeMott issued his resignation publicly.
Among WWE developmental talents we've heard from, there was something of a celebratory feeling as the crew traveled to tonight's house show as DeMott was, as you might imagine based on everything that has come out, not beloved. What all involved should remember is that while DeMott had a lot of resentment among the talents, the position he was in was going to lead to that, as he was in charge and was going to be the one delivering the bad news when it needed to be delivered. Whoever ends up in what was formerly DeMott's position will also have to do the same, so it will be interesting to see how long it is, if ever, before they are seen in the same negative light as DeMott.
As of this evening, it appears WWE's only official statement on the matter will be that they retweeted DeMott's resignation announcement on their own social media accounts.
March 6, 2015
More on the Bill DeMott Situation; New Interim Head Trainer
Bill DeMott Announces He Is Stepping Down From NXT Head Trainer Position
In light of recent allegations made toward him, Bill DeMott announced Friday that he is stepping down from his role as head trainer for NXT effective immediately.
"I deny the recent allegations made about me, however, to avoid any embarrassment or damage to the WWE, I've decided to step down from my role effective immediately," he wrote on Twitter.
DeMott has come under fire in recent days after Austin Matelson and other former developmental workers accused him of physical and verbal abuse during their time with the company. WWE investigated the matter and claimed to find no evidence of such abuse.
Recap of WWE NXT's First Live Event Held Outside of Florida
* JoJo was the ring announcer. It's a packed, rowdy crowd and they are ready for some wrestling.
* Corey Graves came out to kick off the show as the host. Triple H then came out to a big pop and a "holy s--t" chant. He also got a "thank you Hunter" chant. It's announced that they are taping the event for the WWE Network.
* Hideo Itami and Finn Balor defeated The Vaudevillians in a very exciting opener. Itami got the hot tag and pinned Aiden English for the win. Itami and Balor were very much over with the hot crowd.
* Alexa Bliss defeated NXT Women's Champion Sasha Banks by count out. They both got good reactions but some of us are aware that Bliss is from the area. Bliss getting the upset was a good hometown moment and got a pop.
* Tyson Kidd comes out with his WWE Tag Team Title belt and gets a huge pop. Baron Corbin also gets a good reaction. Corbin is usually the most over in his matches but Kidd had good reactions all throughout, including a "meow" chant. Corbin ended up getting the win after catching Kidd in End of Days. Fans booed Corbin after the win and he played the heel role well.
* NXT Tag Team Champions Murphy and Blake are out next. Carmella, Enzo Amore and Colin Cassady are out next to a huge pop. The crowd eats up their pre-match promo and Carmella looks great. Blake vs. Cass is next. Fans chanted for Blue Pants to come out early on but unfortunately she didn't appear. Blake rolled up Cass while he was distracted and grabbed a handful of tights to get the win.
* The Connor The Crusher video is shown.
* Big Show is out next to huge heel heat. Ryback comes out to not much better and we have a match. Fans start with CM Punk chants. This match is not wanted at all it seems. Ryback tried getting a "feed me more" chant going at one point but the crowd responded with CM Punk chants. They go to chanting for Blue Pants again. The highlight of this match is the chants easily - "NXT" and "please retire" chants at Big Show, also "we want Divas." Ryback ended up getting win with Shellshocked. Very interesting match here, the crowd made it.
Intermission
* Kalisto vs. Tyler Breeze is up next. Breeze gets a big pop and got the win with a Beauty Show. This was another very competitive match with lots of good spots.
* Ric Flair is out next to a pop. Flair praises Charlotte and introduces her. Bayley is out next and we have our second Divas match. They chanted "better than Reigns" at one point. Charlotte gets the win with Natural Selection but Bayley was over more. Flair comes in and hugs Bayley after the match. Charlotte also shows respect.
* Alex Riley vs. NXT Champion Kevin Owens is next. They both got good pops and Riley is fired up. Owens was over big time all throughout and won with a powerbomb. After the match, Owens went to powerbomb Riley on the apron but Finn Balor made the save. Balor and Owens brawled to a big reaction.
* Sami Zayn came out in street clothes and cut an amazing promo about how proud he is to be in NXT and being proud of the rest of the locker room.
* Adrian Neville vs. Cesaro is the main event. This was an awesome match, definitely the match of the night and will easily be a match of the year contender. "Push Cesaro, he's too Swiss" was a big thing here. Cesaro ends up getting the win with a Neutralizer after a crazy back and forth finish. I hope this one airs because the whole match but especially the end was must-see.
An estimated 850-1000 fans attended tonight's WWE NXT live event in Columbus, Ohio. It was mostly standing room only with many fans standing up for the entire show.
March 5, 2015
WWE SummerSlam Location Official
The New York Daily News reports that WWE SummerSlam will be held at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY on Sunday, August 23rd. An official announcement will be made on Thursday. Tickets will go on sale next Saturday, March 14th, at 10am.
"SummerSlam in New York matches one of the most iconic sports and entertainment celebrations with one of the world's greatest cities," WWE executive vice president for special events John Saboor told the Daily News.
SummerSlam was originally scheduled to take place at the Izod Center in East Rutherford, NJ, however the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority board approved a plan in January to close down the arena.
Nikki Bella On AJ Lee's Comments About Diva Pay, Who Came Up With 30-Second RAW Match, More
WWE Divas Champion Nikki Bella recently spoke with Mark Madden on 105.9 in Pittsburgh. They discussed AJ Lee's WWE return, the 30-second RAW match that led to "#GiveDivasAChance" trending and more. Thanks to Diva-Dirt for the following highlights:
AJ Lee's comments about Divas pay:
"We're all here because we're living our dreams. Whether it's two minutes or twenty minutes on TV, I'm beyond grateful for that, because there are millions of people that wish they could get two minutes in that ring, and they can't, so I'm not going to be one to b---h about it. But do I think Divas should definitely get more time on TV? 100%. But do I think pay is different? No."
Divas not having the star power to make money like John Cena, Roman Reigns or Brock Lesnar:
"Let me put it this way: if a Diva was to headline a show, would those seats sell out like it does when John Cena's headlining? Roman Reigns? Brock Lesnar? Absolutely not. We're not there yet. We're trying to get there, but we're not there yet. As far as merch goes, we all get the same percentage, so I don't know why anyone's crying about it. We all make the exact same percentage, so it's like, sell more merch if you wanna be like the guys. At the end of the day, we're in a man's world. People show up to watch men wrestle, and they look at us the 'pretty things on the side', but I think slowly, we're changing people's minds about that. It's not gonna happen overnight, but eventually we're gonna get there. We just need patience and time."
Who came up with the 30-second RAW match that led to #GiveDivasAChance trending:
"What's funny about that is we were given about three minutes. Three to four minutes. And we – us four girls who were in the match – we put our heads together and said look: we can either give them a two minute match, or we can give them nothing and get Brie and I so much heat and tell a great story…We're not gonna give people three minutes of BS, and it ended up being a big chance. It ended up turning into #GiveDivasAChance trending worldwide for two days. I mean, we could've gone out there, done a few moves and called it a day, but we were like, 'How do we tell a great story?' and at the end of the day, that's what we did. Brie and I got good heat at the end of it, we got trended for two days straight, and it was like, 'Whoa. We're storytelling now.' And that's what puts the Divas on the next level. Instead of just going out there and doing moves, we storytell. 'Cause that's what the boys do, and that's what we need to do."
March 4, 2015
The unexpected virtue of Blue Pants: NXT's cult phenomenon breaks her silence
Who’d have thought that among the outsize personalities and outlandish competitors brewing down in WWE NXT, one of the most beloved would turn out to be a plucky Diva in blue pants named, well, Blue Pants?
Initially brought in as a local competitor to help Enzo Amore & Colin Cassady’s protégée Carmella fine-tune her skills in the ring, "Ol' Blue Pants" immediately took on a life of her own, amassing a cult following more or less on the spot. Over the next couple of months, Blue Pants would continue to make sporadic appearances in NXT, eventually defeating Carmella before trying her hand at the freshly crowned Women’s Champion, Sasha Banks. Blue Pants hasn’t been seen on WWE TV since that day, but WWE.com caught up with the woman behind the phenomenon — independent competitor Leva Bates — to discuss how Blue Pants was born, where the blue pants themselves came from, and whether we might see her as a more permanent fixture down the line.
So without further ado, Blue Pants, come on down!
WWE.COM: You are a longtime veteran of the independent scene. How did you end up on NXT as Blue Pants?
BLUE PANTS: I actually filled out the recruit page, because you always hear, “Hey, fill out the recruit page,” and I got a call asking if I would be interested in wrestling a match at NXT! So, of course, I said yes. [Laughs] I ended up getting called, and the name Blue Pants actually came about [when] I was stretching near the ring. At that point I was told I was going to wrestle Carmella, and Enzo & Cass were brainstorming an [intro] just off the top of their heads. They were like, “Maybe we should call her out, the girl with the blue pants.” I laughed about that, I just thought it was really funny. I went, “Absolutely! Do that!” I was just wearing the pants to roll around in, I wasn’t sure I was going to actually wrestle in that outfit. I have a crazy amount of costumes. I always over-pack so I have hundreds of things with me. I just put the blue pants on real quick to roll around in the ring, stretch, kind of get comfortable and it just stuck … that’s how Blue Pants was born, and I just embraced it!
WWE.COM: The NXT Universe is pretty supportive of everything on the show, but did you expect to catch on the way you did right out of the gate?
BLUE PANTS: No, absolutely not. It caught me off guard. I figured I’d have a little bit of a reaction considering I’m from Orlando and I wrestle a lot in the Central Florida area. I figured some of these people will probably recognize me, but the overwhelming reaction I got, I don’t know if they just thought the name Blue Pants was funny, or if they recognized me or some combination of the two, but it completely caught me by surprise. It was a nice, pleasant surprise.
WWE.COM: Who came up with the idea of having Big Cass sing “The Price is Right” theme song as your entrance music?
BLUE PANTS: I wanna say that was right on the fly. “Coming from the clearance rack,” I think that was probably the first thing that popped in his head. I gotta give him credit, he did that and the crowd went nuts. My character’s very happy, very fun, lives in the moment, for the now, for the fun, so I kind of embraced it. Instead of getting mad and going, “Ah, why are you making fun of me?” I’m like, “Yeah! What’s wrong with my blue pants, I love blue pants! I love this song!” and I started dancing. Cass and Enzo are really, really funny, so I played off of that … and we built it into what it was.
WWE.COM: Did Triple H say anything to you after those first few matches?
BLUE PANTS: The first time I came back he said, “You got a Blue Pants chant. I don’t even. I can’t,” and then he started laughing. I shook his hand and said, “Well, thank you for everything, I really appreciate this opportunity.” He said, “You’re welcome,” and then he just started laughing at my blue pants! That was kind of a really awesome moment for me, to make Triple H laugh.
WWE.COM: You most recently wrestled Sasha Banks in her first match as Women’s Champion and got a reaction on par with hers. How did that feel?
BLUE PANTS: It’s absolutely heartwarming and overwhelming in a good way. I’m so scared one day I’m going to come out and they’ll be like, “Alright, we’re over the blue pants,” but I feel like it just keeps growing and growing. I love the fans and I appreciate that. It really touched my heart, because I’m a fangirl at heart, too, so I know how it is when you’re like, “I love this so much, this is so cool!” To have that toward me is just mind-blowing. I’m still in awe of it, and very appreciative.
WWE.COM: Do you think we might see Blue Pants in a more permanent spot down the road?
BLUE PANTS: I would absolutely love that! I kind of go with the flow. If they want to keep calling me back, if they want to make it permanent, if they want to say, “Alright, the ship has sailed,” I will roll with it. Right now I could stress out about it, but you gotta have fun with it! Enjoy the moment as it happens, and that’s what I’m doing: enjoying every single second. If it continues to go on and becomes a permanent thing, hallelujah, that’d be awesome. Even if it doesn’t, I still accomplished a dream of mine. Actually a couple of dreams of mine! I got [to wrestle] for WWE, I got to wrestle in front of a huge crowd and I got to win in a match for WWE, so all of these dreams have happened! To keep pursuing it? Absolutely, I would love to do that. I’m just enjoying it while I can.
WWE.COM: If you do stick around, blue pants on WWEShop.com would be kind of a layup.
BLUE PANTS: Yes! I would love that!
WWE Partners With "Spread The Word To End The Word" Campaign
WWE has partnered with the "Spread the Word to End the Word" campaign, which highlights all of the harmful effects that the words "retard" or "retarded" has on the millions of individuals who suffer from developmental and intellectual disabilities, as well as their families and friends.
Many WWE Superstars and Divas have tweeted their support of the campaign, and "Spread the Word to End the Word" has invited fans to make donations on their official website, which you can access by clicking here.
Former Head Of Talent Relations Leaves WWE
Jane Geddes, who you've seen on Total Divas and was the head of WWE Talent Relations before being moved to running Triple H's office, is no longer with WWE.
Geddes actually quietly left the company on a Friday somewhere between 1 month and 6 weeks ago. The circumstances surrounding her departure are unknown. There's speculation within WWE that she was released.
Backstage News On WWE Using Veterans In NXT
Regarding WWE bringing veterans like Rhyno and The Brian Kendrick to NXT, the idea is that new talents will improve faster by working with the more experienced guys. This is similar to what Jim Ross did with Ohio Valley Wrestling years ago when it was a developmental territory. WWE may be bringing more veterans to NXT soon.
King of Kings: A Q&A With WWE Superstar Triple H
Few sports entertainment Superstars have had the longevity, in and out of the ring, that Paul “Triple H” Levesque has had. Whether you remember him best as the long-haired punk leader of Degeneration-X during WWE’s Attitude Era, the sledgehammer-wielding heel nicknamed “The Game”, or, most recently, the heavy-handed leader of The Authority faction that does most of his bullying in a suit and tie, Triple H has earned his place among the most important figures in sports entertainment history and pop culture at large.
This weekend, the 13-time world champion who is also WWE’s EVP of Talent, Live Events, and Creative will be inducted into the International Sports Hall of Fame at the Arnold Sports Festival in Columbus, Ohio. Levesque spoke to us about what the honor means to both him and the business of sports entertainment, and what has made him the “king of kings” among WWE fans.
Aside from having charisma and a quick wit, what do you think makes WWE Superstars stand out from athletes in other sports?
Triple H: I think the well-roundedness. Charisma, quick wit, the ability to perform in front of tens of thousands but also one or two. Our athletes are very well rounded and some of the best in the world physically, and they also have to have the ability to improvise and do theater at the same time. It’s like playing football and doing Shakespeare at the same time. I think that’s a rare combination. It’s a broader skillset.
Also, with all these other sports, they want the athletes to be a cog in the wheel. With WWE, we want you to be larger than life. The bigger your brand is the bigger ours is.
More Superstars seem to be being inducted into the International Sports Hall of Fame every year. The Hall already includes Mark Henry and Bruno Sammartino. Do you think this will help legitimize WWE and sports entertainment in the eyes of critics who still call it “fake” and say the performers aren’t athletes?
I do. And I never understood that about it being fake. When you see a guy who does something physically that 99% of the rest of the world sees and goes, “Oh my God that’s amazing!”, and you say “well, they’re not really athletes” … Oh really? To me the International Sports Hall of Fame is more than about being good at your sport or your profession but it’s about giving back. I think that WWE superstars are finally now getting their due for all the things we do for Make-A-Wish and Susan G. Komen, the military, anti-bullying, and all the other things we do. We’re candidates for the Hall for being more than just athletes. I think what the Hall of Fame is about, as far as the people I see going in there, is athletes great at their chosen sport but also people that did more with it than just reap the rewards.
March 3, 2015
WWE Issues Statement on Allegations of Bullying Made Against Bill DeMott
WWE issued the following statement in response to allegations made in a memo by former NXT talent Judas Devlin against NXT head trainer Bill DeMott which become a hot topic across social media on Monday:
“WWE took the accusations made two years ago by Austin Matelson very seriously, conducted a full investigation and was unable to validate the claims. Regardless, WWE continues to reinforce policies and procedures to ensure a positive training environment.”
WWE To Air Hall Of Fame Special On USA Network
USA Network will broadcast a one-hour special highlighting the 2015 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Monday, March 30 at 11/10C, immediately following Monday Night Raw®. WWE Legends, including “Macho Man” Randy Savage, The Bushwhackers, Alundra Blayze and Rikishi, as well as pop-culture icon Arnold Schwarzenegger will be immortalized as members of this year’s WWE Hall of Fame class for their accomplishments and contributions in sports entertainment.
WWE’s Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, airing for the ninth consecutive year on USA, dates back to 1993, when Andre the Giant was the first person inducted. To date, 190 Superstars, Divas and celebrities have been inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame including Gorgeous George, Bruno Sammartino, Mae Young, Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, Junkyard Dog, “Stone Cold®” Steve Austin, Trish Stratus, Donald Trump and Mike Tyson.
The 2015 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony takes place on Saturday, March 28 at the SAP Center in San Jose, California.
Monday Night Raw, WWE’s flag-ship program, is the longest-running, weekly episodic program in U.S. primetime TV history. It has been a cable mainstay for more than 20 years and is consistently a top ten show on television.
Video: The Game accuses five-time WCW Champion and WWE Hall of Famer Booker T of being a Sting loyalist
Alundra Blayze to be inducted into WWE Hall of Fame's Class of 2015
A trailblazing woman in every sense, it's only right that Alundra Blayze's induction into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2015 was announced at the start of Women's History Month.
Born Debrah Miceli, the Minnesota native broke into the industry in the mid-1980s, learning the ropes from Eddie Sharkey, the famed trainer who taught the likes of The Road Warriors, “Ravishing” Rick Rude and Jesse “The Body” Ventura. Tall, blonde and possessing the looks of a supermodel, she was a stark departure from the double-tough women of eras past. After adopting the ring name Madusa, she was brought on by Verne Gagne’s AWA, where she proved that despite her looks, she could hit just as hard as her opposition. Taking on future WWE Hall of Famers like Sensational Sherri and Wendi Richter, she captured the AWA Women’s Championship before leaving the company, and North America, for Japan.
Miceli spent three years wrestling and training with the revered All Japan Women’s Pro Wrestling promotion. She excelled in the hard-hitting environment, incorporating martial arts into her arsenal. When she returned to America in 1991, she joined WCW and Paul Heyman’s infamous Dangerous Alliance, aiding rule-breakers like Rude and “Stunning” Steve Austin in trying to take out heroes like Sting.
In 1993, she jumped to WWE, which was looking to revitalize its women’s division. Under the name Alundra Blayze, she won a tournament to capture the WWE Women’s Championship in late 1993. Blayze introduced the high-impact Japanese style to a new audience, bringing over foes like Aja Kong and Bull Nakano to show that women could fight just as well as their male counterparts.
Her career took a unique turn in 1995, when Blayze, after being released from her WWE contract, showed up on WCW Monday Nitro with the WWE Women’s Championship, only to throw it in the garbage on live television. The controversial moment remains one of the most talked-about milestones in the infamous Monday Night War.
Once again competing as Madusa, she helped WCW introduce its own women’s division, competing against Sherri and Nakano. By late 1999, she stepped outside of the women’s ranks and competed against the men, defeating Evan Karagias to capture the Cruiserweight Championship at that year’s Starrcade.
Since leaving wrestling after the closing of WCW, she entered the world of monster trucks, becoming one of the top drivers behind the wheel of a star-spangled truck bearing her ring name, Madusa. In addition to three reigns as WWF Women’s Champion, she’s also captured two Monster Jam World Finals championships.
Now, Alundra Blayze will be back under the WWE banner for the first time since 1995, when she joins the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2015.
March 2, 2015
WWE Restricting Account Sharing For WWE Network Viewers?, Updated Terms And Conditions
There are reports online that beginning today, March 1st, WWE Network is no longer allowing account sharing. The WWE Network Terms and Conditions were updated in January and the Access to Services section now reads like this:
Access to Services: Access to WWE Network is subject to approval of your Payment Method information and verification of other information you submit to us or that is otherwise provided to us. Accordingly, if your payment (flat fee or monthly) cannot be processed for any reason, including because your Payment Method is no longer valid, we may terminate your access to the WWE Network immediately. Although your WWE Network subscription is accessible on a number of devices, your use is limited to one (1) WWE Network stream on one (1) device at any given time. IF YOU CIRCUMVENT OR ATTEMPT TO CIRCUMVENT ANY OF THE USE RESTRICTIONS IN THESE TERMS, YOUR SUBSCRIPTION WILL BE SUBJECT TO IMMEDIATE TERMINATION AND YOU MAY BE SUBJECT TO LEGAL ACTION. SHARING OF LOGIN INFORMATION, INCLUDING PASSWORDS, IS STRICTLY FORBIDDEN.
WWE Executives have acknowledged account sharing being a problem in the past.
February 28, 2015
TV Guide Praises Finn Balor, Says He's The Future of WWE
TV Guide recently published an article about WWE NXT star Finn Balor. The article praises Balor's work in NXT so far and goes as far as saying that Balor is the future of WWE. To see the full article, click here TVGuide.com. Here is a highlight from the article:
Less than a year after signing with the WWE, it’s clear that Finn Bálor is destined to be the organization’s next big superstar. The Irish wrestler, who made a name for himself overseas as Prince Devitt, has become one of the biggest faces in NXT, all with barely saying a word. Instead, Bálor lets his natural charisma and hard-earned talent do the talking for him.
Adrian Neville on Heat Between Main Roster/NXT Roster, WM 31, Meeting Vince, More
WWE NXT star Adrian Neville recently appeared on the "This is Awesome" Wrestling Show.
Any jealousy between main roster and NXT roster: I don't think so. I certainly don't get that when I'm working the main roster shows. I think, if anything, the main roster guys are supportive and they are excited to see us thrive and make the transition from NXT to the main roster. And looking forward to standing across the ring from us and competing against us. I know, if I was on the main roster, and I saw the young guys coming in who were hungry and killing it down in NXT, I'd look forward to facing them. I don't think that's the case at all. I don't think that's true at all.
Meeting Vince McMahon for the first time: I haven't sat down and spoke with Vince in any depth. It's just been hellos and goodbyes. The first time he caught me off guard backstage at Monday Night Raw. He was just walking down one of the corridors backstage. It was a bit surreal. But it was just a quick, 'hello, sir, I'm Adrian Neville, one of your developmental talents. Pleasure to meet you.' It lasted about 20 seconds. It wasn't very notable or noteworthy.
His choice to hit Red Arrow on and feud with on main roster: Red Arrow - Daniel Bryan. We've been across the ring from each other before and it would be great to do an one-on-one with Bryan on a big stage. Feud - I'd love to wrestle (feud) with Dolph [Ziggler]. I've never wrestled Dolph and I think he's a phenomenal talent. I think it would be a trip. Also, Seth [Rollins]. He's on fire at the moment. I'd love to go up against Seth. One of those two would be unbelievable.
NXT match at Wrestlemania 31: Absolutely. Like I said, I don't think NXT is considered a developmental brand or territory anymore. I feel like, we put out a product that's just as good as the main roster. So, I'd say yes.
Will we see him on main roster within six months: I very much hope so. I can't tell you for definite, because the truth is, I don't know. If I was a betting man, I'd bet on yes. But we will have to wait and see.
February 27, 2015
Recap of Hulk Hogan Appreciation Night at Madison Square Garden
Tonight’s WWE Live Event at Madison Square Garden was billed as Hulk Hogan Appreciation Night, and the show featured numerous special guest appearances for the Hogan ceremony. The segment featured appearances by Ric Flair, Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, Jimmy Hart and Triple H. During the segment, Madison Square Garden revealed a Hulkamania banner which will permanently hang in the rafters of MSG, alongside the Championship banners for the Rangers and Knicks. Throughout the Appreciation night segment, Hogan was said to be very emotional, and he became particularly emotional when they unveiled the banner.
February 26, 2015
Former WWE Champion Apparently Done With The Company, WWE Issues Statement
Former WWE Champion Rey Mysterio has been moved to the Alumni section of WWE.com. I reached out to WWE, who issued me this statement:
"Rey Mysterio is no longer under contract with WWE."
Mysterio signed with WWE in June of 2002 and went on to win the World Heavyweight Championship twice, and the WWE World Heavyweight Championship once. His last match in the company was against Bad News Barrett the night after WrestleMania 30.
WWE Elects Stephanie McMahon, Paul Levesque and Robyn Peterson to Board of Directors
WWE today announced that WWE Chief Brand Officer Stephanie McMahon, WWE Executive Vice President, Talent, Live Events & Creative Paul Levesque and Chief Technology Officer and Head of Product for Mashable Robyn Peterson have been elected to its Board of Directors.
“The appointments of Stephanie, Paul and Robyn to WWE’s Board of Directors will be invaluable to the company as we continue to transform our business and look toward a new era of unprecedented growth,” said WWE Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Vince McMahon. “I am confident that our Board of Directors and senior management team is stronger than ever and well-positioned for future success.”
Stephanie McMahon, WWE’s Chief Brand Officer, is responsible for leading the company’s efforts to further enhance its global brand reputation among key constituencies including business partners, advertisers, media, investors and the public sector. She serves as the company’s brand ambassador and works with WWE’s business units to support key growth initiatives. McMahon is the primary spokesperson for WWE’s corporate social responsibility initiatives and is participating in the prestigious Eisenhower Fellowship, an international leadership exchange program for outstanding professionals. She began her career with WWE in 1998 as an Account Executive for WWE’s sales office in New York City, in addition to being a TV personality, and she has overseen multiple business areas including WWE’s Creative, Talent Relations, Talent Brand Management, Live Events, Digital, Social and Mobile businesses.
Paul Levesque has more than 20 years of experience at WWE as an executive and performer. Well known as WWE Superstar Triple H®, Levesque is also WWE’s Executive Vice President, Talent, Live Events & Creative, leading the talent development and talent relations departments responsible for recruiting and training the company’s Superstars and Divas. He recently oversaw the development and launch of the state-of-the-art WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida, which serves as the home to WWE’s talent developmental system, NXT. Levesque also oversees all business operations for the more than 320 annual live events, including scheduling, ticket pricing strategy and promotion, and continues to play an integral role behind-the-scenes as a director and producer shaping the storylines in WWE’s programming.
Robyn Peterson, Chief Technology Officer and Head of Product for Mashable, is a seasoned technology executive with more than 15 years of experience in web, mobile and video product development. Peterson is a member of Mashable’s Operating Committee, where he directs product strategy and development and manages the product, design and engineering teams. Peterson led the redesign of Mashable.com in 2012 which ushered in a 100 percent increase in mobile page views, pages-per-visit and ad engagement, and oversees the development of Mashable’s Velocity platform, a technology that predicts and tracks the viral life cycle of digital media content. Prior to Mashable, Peterson was the head of product at Next Issue Media, the magazine and newspaper consortium funded by News Corp., Conde Nast, Time Inc., Meredith and Hearst. Earlier in his career, Peterson served as Vice President for Technology and Product for NBCUniversal.
WWE Launches Campaign To Benefit Special Olympics International and Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stamford
February 25, 2015
WWE Surpasses NBA as Number One Sports Channel on YouTube
With more than 4.2 billion video views in the last 12 months, WWE has become the No. 1 Sports channel on YouTube ahead of the NBA, MLB, NFL, NHL, ESPN and NASCAR. In addition, WWE on YouTube has more than 5.2 million subscribers, which is more than MLB, NFL, NHL, ESPN, NASCAR, MLS and NBC Sports COMBINED.
WWE continues to remain a leader in social media, with more than 450 million combined social media followers globally. During the past year, WWE’s social media channels added more than 194 million followers, a nearly 75 percent increase year-over-year. WWE’s network of Facebook pages has more followers than the NFL and its 32 teams’ pages combined, and WWE Superstar John Cena is the No. 1 most-followed active American athlete on Facebook, with more than 36 million “Likes.”
Since launching in 2008, WWE’s YouTube channel has featured award-winning original short-form programming, including popular shows such as WWE Inbox, WWE Fury, 5 Things and WWE Top Ten. In addition, WWE uses its YouTube channel to promote its monthly WWE Network and pay-per-view events by airing live pre-shows that include exclusive matches and commentary.
WWE Network Could Reach 3-4 million Subscribers In The Next Few Years
WWE's Chief Strategy & Financial Officer George Barrios appeared on CNBC's Closing Bell today to talk about the WWE Network's one year birthday. Full video is above. Barrios said that in the next 3-5 years, the WWE Network could reach 3-4 million subscribers. He said:
"We've got, in our view, about 100 million broadband homes, top 16 markets, if we can get 3-4 percent penetration we can transform the company."
Vince McMahon Comments On #GiveDivasAChance
After the "GiveDivasAChance" hashtag trended last night and after AJ Lee called out Stephanie McMahon on Twitter for how WWE Divas are treated, Vince McMahon tweeted the following tonight:
We hear you. Keep watching. #GiveDivasAChance
Stephanie McMahon Responds To AJ Lee's Tweets
Stephanie McMahon tweeted the following tonight in response to AJ Lee:
Thank you @WWEAJLee, I appreciate your opinion. #UseYourVoice
February 24, 2015
Rumor Mill - Did Brock Lesnar Walk Out of WWE Raw Last Night? Champion Reportedly Upset w/ “Business Relationship”
It’s been reported that Brock Lesnar was kept off Monday Night Raw last night due to some sort of backstage incident. Dave Meltzer noted there was more to the story regarding the WrestleMania headliner, but that those inside WWE did not want it told “until whatever it is is settled.”
Mike Johnson of PWInsider is shedding a bit of light on the mysterious situation, noting that Brock Lesnar was visibly angry backstage, and may have even walked out of the Raw taping before it went off the air. Johnson was told it has nothing to do with creative plans heading into WrestleMania, but “something regarding his business relationship with WWE”.
Vince McMahon reportedly acknowledged the issue during a Smackdown production meeting earlier today, but didn’t say much. Regarding the WWE Champion, Lesnar flew into Nashville for Raw last night on his private plane, but returned home to Minnesota and will not be at tonight’s taping event.
