Adam Hunger/Invision for 2K Games/AP Images
- Before it was called the WWE, the organization went by WWF.
- President Donald Trump is a member of the WWE Hall of Fame.
- WWE has its own TV subscription network.
Since its conception in the 1950s, the WWE has become a global sports entertainment powerhouse. The network is broadcasted in over 150 countries, reaching an audience of millions of viewers around the world.
You’re probably familiar with the basic principles of wrestling and can name a couple of well-known faces like Hulk Hogan and John Cena, but there’s more to the company than what you see on the surface.
Here are 16 things you didn’t know about the WWE.
WWE’s origins — and its ties to the McMahon family — date back to the 1920s.
Michael Loccisano/Getty Images
Before there was the official WWE, Jess McMahon started out by promoting wrestling events in the 1920s in New York City. He died in 1954 and his son, Vincent, later took the reigns of Capitol Wrestling Corporation, the wrestling promotion business started by his father.
Vincent officially bought the regionally-based company in the 1980s and expanded it into the WWE we know today. He is currently the chairman and CEO and the entire McMahon family remains very publicly involved in the organization.
The first WrestleMania was in 1985 and featured Mr. T and Cyndi Lauper.
New York Post Archives / Contributor/Getty Images
The very first WrestleMania event took place on March 31, 1985, at Madison Square Garden in New York City. During the inaugural match, Hulk Hogan and Mr. T defeated Paul Orndorff and Roddy Piper in the main event. And, Cyndi Lauper was a ringside manager for a female wrestler named Wendi Richter.
WrestleMania 2 is the only WrestleMania event to take place on a Monday.
AP Photo/Charlie Bennett
WrestleMania is always held on a Sunday, except for WrestleMania 2. The event took place on Monday, April 7, 1986, making it the only one to not take place on a Sunday.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
See Also:
- The 12 best sports movies to watch on Netflix this month
- WWE superstar Charlotte Flair rips ESPN after they introduced her as Ric Flair’s daughter without mentioning her accomplishments
- We spent 2 days at the PGA Tour’s Dell Match Play event in Austin to see why everybody loves it so much
Source: Business Insider – feedback@businessinsider.com (Rachel Murphy)