WWE/Vince Press Release, Khali/MSNBC Press, Matt Hardy, New CFO, More
WWE issued the following press release today: PROMAX/BDA To Honor World Wrestling Entertainment's Vince McMahon With Lifetime Achievement Award Los Angeles, CA ? May 5, 2008 ? Vince McMahon, World Wrestling Entertainment's (WWE) visionary founder and a man many consider a marketing genius, will receive the Promax/BDA Lifetime Achievement Award, Promax/BDA president Jonathan Block-Verk announced today. The award will be presented to McMahon during the upcoming 53rd annual Promax/BDA Conference, slated for June 17-19 at Manhattan's Hilton New York Hotel. McMahon, who was recently honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, serves as Chairman of the Board of World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (WWE). A third-generation entrepreneur who has made WWE into the global phenomenon it is today, McMahon is credited as a pioneer in the television syndication, pay-per-view, and cable business, a recognized celebrity throughout the world, one of the longest running personalities on television, and a fearless marketer. "Vince McMahon is the world heavyweight champion of global marketing, as substantiated by the phenomenal worldwide success of the WWE brand across all media," said Block-Verk in announcing the Lifetime Achievement award recipient. "In the course of his career, Vince McMahon turned a regional syndicated program into a global super-brand that reaches 130 countries in 23 languages with programming for virtually every conceivable platform available in today's marketplace. Add WWE's huge merchandising success and constant trailblazing into new media models, and you get the very essence of successful brand development." In addition to receiving the Promax Lifetime Achievement Award at the conference, McMahon will participate in a special Q&A session, during which he will be interviewed by TelevisionWeek Deputy Editor Chris Pursell. Additionally, WWE's Geof Rochester, Executive Vice President, Marketing, will participate in a case study on the marketing strategy and achievements of WWE's WrestleMania?, the industry's gold standard for pay-per-view events.
The Great Khali's homecoming to his native India was mentioned on MSNBC's morning loop yesterday due to all the buzz its causing. According to the report, Khali had to leave his hotel because of the swarms of fans waiting to see him. The turnout for his return is said to be similar to that of "Beatlemania."
The Grahamton Journal has an article UK youth meeting Matt Hardy during the company's recent tour of Great Britain. You can read the article at https://www.granthamjournal.co.uk.
According to reports, George Barrios, who is the Vice President and treasurer of The New York Times, has joined World Wrestling Entertainment as Chief Financial Officer.