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VINCE MCMAHON DISCUSSES WHAT GIVES WWE ITS LONGEVITY, WHERE THINGS STAND AT THE TV DEALS KICKS IN, HOW WWE TALENT ARE TREATED AND MORE

Vince McMahon was interviewed as part of a cover story for the new edition of entertainment trade publication Variety, which profiled WWE's Grand Poobah and looked at what brought the company to its biggest TV deals yet when this October hits.  The piece looks at what sets WWE apart from other companies for potential investors, how the company has cleaned up its image over the last decade and how the new TV deals will bring it a greater sense of awareness and respect in the mainstream.  You can read the complete piece by clicking here.

Some highlights from the piece:

*On WWE as a company, McMahon commented, "So few people understand what we do and how we do it.  We’re different than anything else that’s out there. The respect factor is here, and now it’s global.”

*As part of the new FOX TV deal, WWE talents will be "integrated" into FOX programming, which reads as if talents will make guest star appearances on FOX series as well as be featured at FOX broadcasts of sporting events.  

“WWE talent will be appearing on [Fox] programming,” McMahon said. “It’s going to be a totally integrated approach. We’ve never had a platform like this in terms of promotion. Fox is going to go all-in, and they’re great promoters.”

*On NBC's relationship with WWE going forward, McMahon said, “NBCU is going to step up as well to the equivalent of what Fox is going to do.”

*Facebook was very much in the running for Smackdown before FOX made their deal with WWE.

*On WWE talents not being treated well, as chronicled on an episode of HBO's Last Week Tonight with John Oliver last month, McMahon commented, "Anybody who wants time off can get time off. That’s easy.  In addition to that, it’s easy to weave a talent in and out of a storyline. If they get injured, you’re not expecting that. Or if they have a family matter. Our characters are real people with real problems. It’s a revolving situation where this talent will work these dates, that talent will work those dates.”

On selling a piece of or all of WWE, McMahon commented, "We’re open for business,” but did not elaborate further.

On his and the company's longevity, McMahon said, "I liken it to the military.  At the end of the day I’ve got these ribbons and all these medals, and I wake up the next morning, and every one of them is gone. You have to earn everybody’s respect every day, all over again, and I don’t take it for granted.”

You can read the complete piece by clicking here.

Thanks to Paul Jordan

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